Gallup Poll Shows Waning Interest in IRS Scandal and Benghazi Hearings, Republicans Still Following Reports

While a majority of Americans say they are following the recent IRS scandal and ongoing investigations into Benghazi, they are paying less attention than usual to these stories, according to a new poll from Gallup.

A full 54 percent of Americans say they are closely following the unfolding IRS scandal in the news, after it was revealed that conservative groups were unfairly targeted by the federal agency. Around the same number, 53 percent, said they are closely following the Benghazi hearings, pursued by congressional Republicans since the attack on the American consulate in Benghazi that resulted in the deaths of four American diplomats, including the American ambassador in September of last year.

Foe both stories, 22 percent of respondents said they weren't following closely, and 24 percent said they weren't following at all.

Typically, big news stories grab the attention of about 60 percent of the public. "Despite extensive news coverage of these stories in recent days, the level of attention being paid to each is below the average 60% of Americans who have closely followed more than 200 news stories Gallup has measured over the past several decades. Additionally, Americans appear to be paying almost exactly the same levels of attention to both stories, despite the relative newness of the IRS story during the time in which this survey was in the field," Gallup writes.

As usual, the poll results show a sharp partisan divide. Republicans are actually paying far more attention than usual to both stories -- 7 percent above average for the IRS scandal and 6 percent above average for Benghazi. At the same time, interest among both Democrats and independents is down.

Only 55 percent of independents are paying attention to the IRS scandal, 5 percent below average, and only 52 percent are still following Benghazi. Only 45 percent of Democrats are following Benghazi, and the percentage of Democrats interested in the IRS scandal is down at 40, 20 points below average.

Partisan politics continues to affect not only what the public believes, but also what they'll listen to.