Both the incoming and the outgoing Speaker of the House are viewed favorably by 24% of Americans.

Nancy Pelosi (D) is viewed favorably by 24%, and unfavorably by 44%. Those figures include 8% with a very favorable opinion of the Democratic leader, and 26% with a very unfavorable view.

For Dennis Hastert (R), the numbers are 24% favorable and 41% unfavorable (including 9% very favorable and 16% very unfavorable).

Unfavorables for both Pelosi and Hastert have increased over the past six months.

On the Senate side, 26% have a favorable impression of outgoing Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tennessee) and 38% have an unfavorable view. This includes 9% who view him very favorably and 17% with a very unfavorable opinion. Frist’s numbers are up a bit from May.

Frist’s Democratic counterpart, Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada), is seen favorably by 20% of voters and unfavorably by 38%. Reid’s numbers have barely moved since the previous poll.

While legislative leaders are unknown by large segments of the population, just about everybody has an opinion of Vice President Dick Cheney--41% view him positively and 52% hold negative views.

Not surprisingly, the Vice President’s scores are the most politically divided of the survey—40% of Republicans view him very favorably and 52% of Democrats hold the opposite view.

We last polled on Cheney’s popularity in February, shortly after the hunting trip during which he accidentally shot one of his fellow sportsmen. At that time, 36% viewed the vice president favorably and 41% viewed him unfavorably.

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