Forty-one percent (41%) of the nation’s Likely Voters want Congress to formally censure President Bush. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 47% are opposed while 12% are not sure.

Those figures are little changed from a survey conducted early in 2006 when 38% of the nation’s adults favored censure and 45% were opposed.

The 41% support for censuring the President is little different from the 39% who believe Bush should be impeached and removed from office.

Senator Russell Feingold (D) said Sunday that he wants Congress to censure the President for his management of the War and his “assault” upon the Constitution. Democratic leaders are cool to the idea and just 42% of voters want to see the Senate vote on the matter. Just 37% are opposed to a Senate vote.

Democratic voters strongly support censuring the President. Sixty-three percent (63%) of those in Harry Reid’s party favor the measure while 24% are opposed. Republicans are even more strongly opposed (77% to 14%). Among those not affiliated with either major party, 42% favor censure and 43% are opposed.

Sixty-two percent (62%) of Democrats want the Senate to vote on the matter. Twenty-six percent (26%) of Republicans agree along with 33% of unaffiliateds.

Overall, 37% of voters believe that a move to censure the President would help Democrats politically. Thirty percent (30%) believe it would help Republicans while 21% say it would have no impact. On balance, each side believes their party would benefit. Democratic voters, by a 56% to 16% margin, say that the D’s would benefit. Republican voters, by a 46% to 23% margin, say the GOP would benefit.

Among those not affiliated with either major party, 28% say Democrats would benefit. Thirty percent (30%) of unaffiliateds say Republicans would benefit. Twenty-one percent (21%) say their would be no impact and 12% are not sure.

Feingold himself is little known to the public, but both positive and negative opinions of the Senator soar when voters learn he is advocating censure.

Crosstabs available for Premium Members only.