After being hammered repeatedly for his connections to confessed felon Jack Abramoff, Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana) is losing support among voters in Montana, a new poll released on Wednesday shows.
Burns, who is running for re-election, had a double-digit lead before the reports linking him to the scandal. But the new poll shows him a statistical dead heat with two Democratic challengers.
Burns has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. News reports claim he is the a focus of the Department of Justice's corruption inquiry but Burns says he hasn't been contacted or interviewed.
Get the Story:Burns popularity continues to slide in face of Abramoff ties (AP 1/12)
Burns denies any link to Abramoff scandal (The Billings Gazette 1/12) Relevant Links:
Sen. Conard Burns - http://burns.senate.gov
Montana Republican Party - http://www.mtgop.org
Montana Democratic Party - http://www.montanademocrats.org Related Stories:
Sen. Burns blames media for Abramoff story (1/10)
Editorial: Burns, Baucus and Rehberg were bought (12/22)
Editorial: Burns, Baucus and Rehberg were bought (12/22)
Abramoff still an issue for Montana politicians (12/21)
Editorial: No more nasty politics on Montana? (12/21)
Burns staffer went on Abramoff Super Bowl trip (12/21)
Ex-Abramoff associate pleads guilty in Montana (12/21)
Sen. Baucus returns $19K in Abramoff donations (12/20)
Another Republican returns Abramoff donations (12/19)
Burns to return $150K in Abramoff donations (12/16)
Editorial: Burns should return Abramoff donations (12/15)
Burns already spent donations from Abramoff (12/14)
Former Burns aide talks with Abramoff investigators (12/13)
Editorial: Don't hate Burns, hate the system (12/12)
Burns wishes Abramoff had 'never been born' (12/9)
Opinion: Burns worried about public opinion (12/9)
Sen. Burns to launch Abramoff offensive in January (12/8)
Sen. Burns wants name cleared in Abramoff probe (12/7)
Staffer for Sen. Burns went to work for Abramoff (12/05)
Ex-Abramoff associate charged in Montana for poaching (08/19)
Sen. Burns took $34K from ex-Abramoff client (11/30)
Abramoff probe spreads to members of Congress (11/28)
Abramoff probe looking into Congress, Bush (11/25)
Montana Democrats to run ads against Burns (11/22)
Ex-Abramoff associate charged in Montana for poaching (08/19)
Democrats to make change to Burns, Abramoff ad (08/10)
Democrat ad criticizes Burns for ties to Abramoff (8/9)
Democrats received donations from Abramoff tribes (06/03)
Bloomberg: Abramoff tribes gave $1.4M to Congress (05/19)
Sen. Burns: Support for Montana tribes is known (04/18)
Burns says Michigan delegation backed school funds (04/04)
Editorial: Burns has chance to restore Indian funds (3/31)
Democrats want Burns to return tribal donations (03/29)
Burns denies wrongdoing for helping Abramoff client (03/24)
Chairman: Montana tribes support Senator Burns (3/18)
Editorial: Facts don't look good for Senator Burns (03/14)
Editorial: Burns needs better story on Abramoff flap (3/8)
Firm offers $9M refund to Saginaw Chippewa Tribe (3/7)
Editorial: A 'Super Bowl' earmark for tribe (3/7)
Editorial: Burns 'enriched' by Abramoff and tribes (3/7)
Horse Sense: Burns and Baucus 'cozy' with lobbyists (3/7)
Burns promises cooperation with Abramoff probe (3/4)
Editorial: Who do you work for, Senator Burns? (3/4)
Burns looking into Abramoff ties, Dorgan denies link (3/2)
Burns, Dorgan backed $3M grant for Abramoff client (3/1)
Tribal lobbying scandal hurts ex-Abramoff firm (02/17)
Sag Chip recall targets anti-Abramoff tribal leaders (02/11)
High-priced lobbyist scam linked to lawmakers (11/18)
Documents detail lobbyists' role in tribal elections (10/04)
More hearings slated in tribal lobbyist scandal (09/30)
Senate hearing on tribal lobbying probe set (8/26)
Saginaw Chippewa leader who paid lobbyists ousted (06/04)
Indian Country awaits outcome of lobbying probe (05/18)
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe wonders where $14M went (04/20)
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe hires new lobbying firm (03/09)
GOP lobbyist scores big with tribes (04/03)
Embattled tribe gets new lobbyist (12/13)