According to the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, people not only know about
the Jack Abramoff scandal but also feel it is a GOP problem and very serious.

• Most Americans say they’re following news of the Abramoff scandal
closely, and 53% call it a major scandal. Just 9% see it as “not a serious
matter.” (Related: Abramoff poll results)

• Corruption will be a voting issue in November, they say. Only the war
in Iraq, terrorism and health care are cited more often as “extremely
important” issues this year; 43% describe “corruption in government” that
way. In comparison, 38% call the economy an extremely important issue.

• Attitudes toward the Republican congressional leadership have soured.
By 50%-40%, those surveyed say the policies proposed by Republican leaders
in Congress would move the country in the wrong direction. That’s by far the
worst showing since the GOP took control more than a decade ago.

• Attitudes toward Democrats are better, but not by much. Respondents
split 44%-43% when asked whether the policies proposed by Democratic leaders
would move the country in the right direction. By 44%-32%, those surveyed
say congressional Democrats would do a better job of dealing with the issue
of corruption.

For the first time since 1994, a plurality of Americans say most members
of Congress don’t deserve re-election. The 42% who say most members do
deserve re-election is the same as in the first USA TODAY survey of 1994.

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here.

This somewhat echoes what I have been saying for awhile now. While the
Democrats can safely pin the Abramoff scandal on the GOP, it will still end up
hurting them. The reason is people are not going to bother to distinguish
between what party each individual is in. The average voter is going to head to
the poll knowing the incumbent is a politician and most likely corrupt from
being in D.C. Hopefully this will lead to a rash of new blood on Capital Hill
that will make changes before the lobbyists get their dirty hands on them.