Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s handling of a toxic train derailment affecting East Palestine, Ohio, has led a majority of likely voters to call for his resignation, according to a Rasmussen Reports survey released on Monday. Buttigieg was slow to respond to the disaster, only visiting the area after former President Trump made an effort. Prior to Trump’s visit, Buttigieg had said he would visit the area when the “time is right.” It was not until three weeks after the incident that Buttigieg finally visited the site.
The survey asked, “Should Buttigieg resign as a result of how the Transportation Department handled the recent train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio?” The results showed that 51% of likely voters believe he should resign, while 36% believe he should not and 13% are unsure. The sentiments are shared by most Republicans and independents, with 68% and 51%, respectively, calling for Buttigieg’s resignation.
The survey also found that 41% believe Buttigieg is a “worse” Transportation Secretary than most who held the job before him. The survey was conducted from March 6-8, 2023, among 950 likely voters with a margin of error of +/- 3%.
Several House Republicans, including Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), have also called for Buttigieg’s resignation over his botched response to the train derailment. Waltz cited Buttigieg’s failure to effectively respond to the “environmental, and humanitarian disaster in East Palestine” as one of the reasons for his demands.