AR Briefs (week of 6-15-2016)

Maine senator is most popular

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Susan Collins was once again named the second most popular senator in America in a comprehensive survey conducted by Morning Consult.

The polling found that Senator Collins has an approval rating of 79 percent among registered Maine voters, the second highest in the nation. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) rated first, with 80 percent among registered Vermont voters.

The polling was based on the responses of more than 62,000 registered voters in all 50 states between January and April.

Half of working-age not working 

A new analysis from the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) found that in Maine 54.1 percent of working-age poor do not work and therefore will not be affected by the state’s proposed $12 minimum wage. 

The study found that in 41 states and the District of Columbia a majority of the working-age poor do not work. 

The EPI studied 18- to 64-year-olds living in poverty in each state.