Following Gun Vote, Pat Toomey Is Now More Popular Than Ever

So much for gun control being a political third rail. At least in Pennsylvania, where we cling to our guns, Senator Pat Toomey’s recent, failed, efforts to strengthen criminal background checks have boosted his popularity to an all-time high. According to a Quinnipiac Poll released today, his approval rating stands at 48%-30%, and 54% of voters think more favorably of Toomey for the gun bill, versus 12% who like him less. The question that remains now is whether Toomey continues to hew to a more moderate path (he recently changed his mind on the Violence Against Women Act), or uses his new political cover to quell conservative fears that he’s gone soft.