There has been no improvement in voter impressions of the job Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the state legislature are doing. While more disapprove (46%) than approve (40%) of the governor’s performance, voter assessments of the state legislature are even worse, with more than twice as many holding a negative (57%) than positive (27%) view.
An increasing proportion of Californians (68%) views the state budget deficit as a very serious problem. There is also declining confidence in the governor and state legislature in resolving the deficit situation. Currently 41% of voters do not have much confidence in Schwarzenegger to do what is right to resolve the deficit, while 52% say this about the state legislature.
In addition, 68% now feel the state is seriously off on the wrong track, while just 21% think it is moving in the right direction.
These are the findings from the latest statewide Field Poll conducted July 8-14 among 809 registered voters.
Schwarzenegger job ratings remain more negative than positive
Since first becoming governor almost five years ago, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger’s popularity with voters has had its ups and downs.
For many months early in his tenure, very large majorities of voters approved of Schwarzenegger’s performance. However, beginning in the middle of 2005 and continuing for about a year, voter appraisals became more negative than positive. Schwarzenegger’s standing with the voters improved following his 2006 re-election victory and remained nearly two to one positive throughout 2007.
However, in two measurements taken by The Field Poll this year, Schwarzenegger’s job approval rating has again declined precipitously – from 60% approval in December of last year to 40% today.
Republicans and non-partisans hold mixed views of the governor, with about as many rating him positively as negatively. By contrast, Democrats disapprove of the job Schwarzenegger is doing by a 47% to 34% margin.
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Filed under: California, Public policy , California, California politics, Field Poll, Schwarzenegger
