CT: Is Dodd Vulnerable?

Per The Scorecard:

Could Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) be a sleeper target for Senate Republicans?

A new Quinnipiac poll shows the five-term Connecticut senator is highly vulnerable heading into his re-election next year. A 51 percent majority of Connecticut voters said they probably won’t be voting for him, with only 42 percent saying they’d likely support him.

Dogging Dodd is allegations that he received a sweetheart mortgage deal from Countrywide Financial. He also lost support after launching a quixotic presidential campaign, where he camped out in Iowa for several months.

A 56 percent majority of Connecticut voters said they were less likely to vote for him because of the mortgage scandal. And by a 54 to 24 percent margin, they didn’t buy Dodd’s explanation – that the low-interest loans were a “courtesy” – and want further details.

“Senator Dodd is vulnerable. His approval has sunk to a new low. More voters disapprove than approve of the job he is doing for the first time in 15 years of polling,” said Quinnipiac Poll Director Douglas Schwartz. “The mortgage controversy has taken a toll on his approval rating.”

On the fundraising front, Dodd only has $671,000 in his campaign account – significantly less than most vulnerable incumbents have on hand. But his connections as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee should allow him to quickly ramp up his fundraising in preparation for a tough race.

Republicans are already trying to recruit a credible challenger against Dodd, with former GOP congressman Rob Simmons heading the list. Simmons narrowly lost a Democratic-leaning House seat in 2006, and served as Connecticut’s Business Advocate after his defeat.