Gallup: Laura Gets High Marks As First Lady But Most Say 'No' to Senate Run

By: letters@editorandpublisher.com Run Laura run? A new Gallup poll finds the public giving Laura Bush very high marks as First Lady but turning thumb's down on the idea of her trying to follow Hillary Clinton into the U.S. Senate.

The poll, released today, finds the First Lady getting an 82% job approval rating, up from 74% since July 2003. In other words, her rating has gone up while her husband's has declined a good deal. Even 69% of Democrats give her an okay.

Hillard Clinton averaged a 64% approval rating as First Lady.

But by a margin of 53% to 40%, most say they don't want to see Laura Bush run for the Senate some day. Of course, most said they didn't want Hillary Clinton to run when asked in 1999.

Significantly, however, 61% of Republicans said they would like her to run.