The Immigration Debate Is Making A Republican Star A Lot Less Popular

Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.) favorability ratings among Republican voters have taken a big hit in the last four months, just as he has been in the middle of a vigorous debate over a Senate bill that would dramatically reshape the nation's immigration laws.

According to a new Rasmussen poll released on Monday, Rubio is viewed favorably by only 58 percent of Republicans. That's down 15 points from February and an astounding 10 points in just the past six weeks, compared to previous Rasmussen surveys.

At the same time, the amount of Republican voters who view him unfavorably rose from just 10 percent in May to 16 percent in the new survey. Overall, that's a 16-point decline in his net favorability in the last six weeks.

Rubio's image has taken a toll among all political parties as he has taken a center-stage role in the immigration debate, which is coming to a head in the Senate this week. Previous polls have shown his standing dropping among self-identified Independent voters, and some conservative critics have started to turn on his role in the debate.

A Quinnipiac poll released last Wednesday found that among Florida residents, Rubio's handling of immigration has earned him overall disapproval. Crucial Independent voters disapproved of Rubio's handling by a 32-38 split.