Poll: Baucus’ work on health care lacks strong support in Montana.

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) has frustrated progressives with his work on health care reform as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, refusing to back a public option. A new DailyKos/Research 2000 poll finds that Baucus’ constituents are also unhappy with his work. Just forty-two percent of Montanans approve of the job he is doing, and 47 percent support a public option (compared to 43 percent who oppose one). The disparity is greatest amongst Democrats in Montana, 55 percent of whom disapprove of what Baucus is doing. Markos Moulitsas concludes, “[D]espite the onslaught of pure bullshit slung by opponents of effective reform (death panels! government takeover! Canada!), a plurality of all Montana residents (and independents as well) still support a public option.”