Charlie Baker 'Most Popular Governor In America,' but Senators Not Feeling the Love

BOSTON - We already knew Charlie Baker wasn't exactly Chris Christie. But now it's official: Baker is once again the nation's most popular governor.

That's according to a poll of 85,000 nationwide by Morning Consult gauging the popularity of America's governors. Baker was given a 75 percent approval rating. His disapproval rating was 17 percent, and 9 percent had no opinion. In September's Morning Consult poll, Baker had a 70 percent approval rating.

Baker was closely followed this time by a fellow Republican leading a largely Democratic state in Maryland's Larry Hogan at 73 percent.

"Both governors have reputations as shrewd, bipartisan dealmakers who value results over party purity, and their constituents seem to appreciate that style," the poll organizers wrote.

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The 13 most popular governors in the poll are Republicans. The party also has to deal with New Jersey's Christie, who had a 71 disapproval rating.

Baker has enjoyed largely bipartisan support and shown an ability to work with both parties. That showed on Monday, when House Democrats authorized Baker to implement an assessment on employers to pay for public health care and opted to let the governor work out the details of the plan.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey are in the middle of the pack in a separate Morning Consult poll, ranking 44rd and 47th respectively.

Warren had a 56 percent approval rating, but her 38 percent disapproval rating means she is the sixth least popular Senate member and second least popular Democrat (Missouri Sen Clair McCaskill.) Warren plans to host a town hall meeting Thursday in Salem.

Markey's approval rating was at 55 percent and his disapproval rating at 23 percent.

Vermont's Bernie Sanders ran away with the lead at 75 percent.

Material from the State House News Service was used in this report

AP Photo/Steven Senne