Poll: Warren best known, most polarizing of possible Dem VPs

— Elizabeth Warren is the only one among Hillary Clinton’s oft-mentioned potential running mates who is well known, but the Massachusetts senator also happens to be the most polarizing of the group, according to a new McClatchy-Marist Poll.

The others mentioned — Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro of Texas, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Rep. Xavier Becerra of California — are largely unknown. Half of those polled, or more, had not heard of those possible vice presidential picks.

In contrast, Warren is known to 77 percent of the country. But just 33 percent of voters see her favorably, while 33 percent do not like her. She is unpopular with Republicans and conservatives, but 1 in 3 independable ents also have an unfavorable impression of her.

“Democrats like her and the nation as a whole is divided,” said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion in New York, which conducted the nationwide poll.

Warren could help Clinton with liberal supporters who originally preferred Bernie Sanders, her rival for the Democratic nomination. Rank-and-file Democrats have a favorWASHINGTON opinion of her by 58 percent to 12 percent while the very liberal have a favorable opinion of her by 65 percent to 13 percent

Miringoff said Warren could help Clinton with white college graduates, who favor her 47 percent to 29 percent, a demographic that is not usually carried by Democratic candidates.

Warren is considered to be on the short list of candidates under consideration, with Kaine and Castro. Others mentioned include Becerra, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado and Labor Secretary Tom Perez. Klobuchar is mentioned as an alternative to Warren if Clinton is looking for a female running mate.

Castro, the former mayor of San Antonio, is a blank slate to 47 percent of the country, even in the South, the poll found.

Kaine, a former governor, tops most insiders’ lists because he is considered a safe bet for the usually cautious presumptive Democratic nominee.

But nearly half of voters, 45 percent, have never heard of him, the poll found.

Beccera, the son of Mexican immigrants who has represented downtown Los Angeles for more than two decades, is not known by 65 percent.

The survey of 1,249 adults was conducted July 5-9.