DHAKA: The recent shutdown of the US government has taken a stinging toll on the image of the Republican Party, according to a poll published on Tuesday.

The Washington Post-ABC News survey showed the public’s opinion of the party has sunk to an all-time low, with nearly two-thirds saying they held an unfavourable view, compared to 32 percent who view it favourably.

The government shutdown was sparked after Republicans driven by the ultra-conservative Tea Party faction tried to make a bill to keep funding the government contingent on gutting president Barack Obama’s signature health care law.

The messy 16-day shutdown ended only when Congress was staring at an imminent deadline to raise the government`s borrowing authority, or face the prospect of a debt default, and ultimately passed a bill to fund the government and raise that debt limit, albeit in both cases just for a few more months.

BDST: 1446 HRS, OCT 22, 2013
RoR/BSk