(07/26/10) -

Few Americans Have a Positive Opinion of Edwards

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – John Edwards has become one of the most unpopular recent presidential hopefuls in the United States, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 56 per cent of respondents have an unfavourable opinion of the former North Carolina senator, while 16 per cent hold positive views.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – John Edwards has become one of the most unpopular recent presidential hopefuls in the United States, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 56 per cent of respondents have an unfavourable opinion of the former North Carolina senator, while 16 per cent hold positive views.

The survey asked Americans to state whether they have a favourable or unfavourable opinion of nine politicians who either ran for president, or have served as president or vice-president in the past decade. Only three—Edwards, former president George W. Bush and former vice-president Dick Cheney—topped the 50 per cent mark in unfavourable mentions.

Edwards—who worked as a personal injury trial attorney prior to entering politics—won the 1998 election to the U.S. Senate in North Carolina, defeating Republican incumbent Lauch Faircloth with 51.2 per cent of the vote. Edwards served in the upper house from 1999 to 2005. Edwards sought the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008, and was John Kerry’s running mate in the 2004 race.

In October 2007, the National Enquirer began publishing reports which suggested that Edwards had an extramarital affair with former campaign worker Rielle Hunter. In August 2008, Edwards acknowledged the affair and in January 2010 admitted that he fathered Hunter’s child.

Polling Data

Next, we’d like to ask you some questions about current and former politicians. Overall, would you say you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of each of the following people?

Complete Poll (PDF)