Rep. Ryan’s Favorability Rating Turns Negative

House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan showed great courage in offering a Medicare reform plan as part of the budget passed by the House. But he’s not being rewarded for it politically, according to a new poll from Bloomberg.

The study shows that 26 percent of Americans view the Wisconsin congressman unfavorably, while 23 percent see him favorably. That gives him the third worst net unfavorable rating among Republicans, after former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

A total of 57 percent of the respondents say they would be worse off with the adoption of Ryan’s plan to shift Medicare to a subsidized private health insurance system, and 34 percent say they would be better off.

“I don’t like the focus he’s made, and I don’t like the programs he’s playing with,” said poll respondent Jason Young, 37, a video game producer from Novato, Cal., who is an independent voter. But even Young compliments Ryan for driving through a plan to balance the budget.