Analysis: Senate Democrats have 1 unpopular candidate. It’s much worse for Republicans | CNN Politics

A new poll last week confirmed the Democratic establishment’s fears that Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed could hurt its hopes of winning the chamber’s majority. The Fox News poll showed his personal image 13 points underwater among registered voters — 42% favorable to 55% unfavorable as he ran about even with his GOP opponent in a head-to-head matchup, trailing narrowly. But while El-Sayed’s potential drag on the Democratic ticket has gotten lots of attention, he is very much the exception for the party. In fact, it’s Republican candidates who have the popularity problem in a number of key races. And of all the crucial Senate races, Michigan is the only one in which Democrats have the more unpopular candidate, according to averages of the quality polls available. In all the others, it’s the GOP. In both Maine and Texas, the averages of recent polls show both Sen. Susan Collins and state Attorney General Ken Paxton 12 points underwater — i.e., with more people viewing those Republicans unfavorably than favorably. That’s similar to where El-Sayed was in the Fox poll. All told, across the eight races that are most likely to determine the Senate majority, the GOP