This New Kavanaugh Poll Shows How People's Opinion Of Him Changed Since The Allegation

It's hard to predict how Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination will play out, but one thing is clear: the American people are not all in for his appointment, at least according to a new poll. The latest NBC/Washington Post poll on Kavanaugh shows Americans' disapproval of him is so high, it's officially broken a record. He is the least liked Supreme Court nominee in the history of the poll, which started in 2005. Of course, that doesn't mean he won't get nominated. But it does mean that some senators might be feeling increased pressure to vote against him, especially if they're up for re-election this fall.

The poll was conducted Sunday through Wednesday, immediately following Christine Blasey Ford's decision to step out publicly as the woman who accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct.

In his most recent statement on Thursday, Kavanaugh wrote, "I continue to want a hearing as soon as possible, so that I can clear my name. Since the moment I first heard this allegation, I have categorically and unequivocally denied it. I remain committed to defending my integrity." Regardless, it seems that his approval has taken a hit in recent weeks.

The NBC poll asked individuals whether they supported or opposed Kavanaugh's nomination. Thirty-eight percent of voters said they opposed Kavanaugh's nomination, while only 34 percent said they supported his nomination. This is a big change from earlier this summer, when NBC reported that 32 percent of voters supported his nomination and only 26 percent opposed it.

What's more, NBC reports that this is the first time in the history of the poll that a Supreme Court nominee has been "underwater" in the poll, meaning that more voters in the poll are against a nomination than for it.

To put it into perspective, Harriet Miers was a failed Supreme Court nominee in 2005, and she still had a larger percentage of respondents in favor of her appointment than against it in the same poll.

With that said, it's not yet clear whether U.S. senators' votes are necessarily going to align with the will of the American people. A Vox breakdown of where each senator stands on the Kavanaugh vote shows that 48 senators currently reflect support or "lean support" for Kavanaugh, while approximately seven senators remain undecided over his nomination.

A list by CNN released Wednesday further breaks down where many of the senators stand on Kavanaugh, though it only includes the 46 senators who have spoken publicly about him.

If you are one of the many Americans who strongly opposes Kavanaugh's nomination, now is the time to contact your U.S. senator and let them know how you feel. This is especially important if you are represented by one of the seven senators who are still on the fence about Kavanaugh: Bob Corker (R-TN), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), Heidi Heitkamp (R-ND), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Jon Tester (D-MT), Doug Jones (D-AL), and Joe Donnelly (R-IN).

To contact your senators, you can use the Senate resource page to find their office phone numbers. If you're unsure of what to say, you can check out this sample script offered by People for the American Way.