McDonnell job approval at 55 percent in new poll
Bob McDonnell
Gov. Bob McDonnell has a job approval rating of 55 percent and strong support from self-described independent voters, according to the results of a statewide poll released this morning.
The independent Quinnipiac University survey indicates that Virginia voters like McDonnell personally more than they like most of his policies. But McDonnell’s approval ratings are strong when compared to other governors and are far better than those of GOP executives in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, where Quinnipiac also polls. That should add more fuel to talk of McDonnell as a prospective Republican vice presidential candidate next year.
“Even among Democrats he is within 10 points of parity, an unusually high level of support for a governor from the opposition party,” said Peter Brown, the assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
This is the first Virginia survey conducted by the Quinnipiac, based in Hamden, Conn. The university does surveys in seven states and nationally, conducting live interviews with registered voters on landlines and cell phones.
For this survey, pollsters interviewed 1,434 Virginia voters between June 21 and June 27. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
Some key numbers from the poll:
McDonnell’s ratings. The governor’s overall job approval rating is 55 percent. Only 26 percent disapprove of his performance. The gap is 59-24 among independent voters. Only 48 percent said they like most of McDonnell’s policies; 33 percent said they disapprove.
McDonnell has a 50-34 favorability spread on his handling of the state budget and a plurality of voters (43-32) said the budget was fair to people like them.
“In most of the other Quinnipiac University states, voters, often by a large margin, see the budgets as unfair to folks like them,” Brown said. “This perception that the budget is fair may explain Gov. McDonnell’s approval numbers.”
Bolling and Cuccinelli. It helps to be in the headlines. Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, often in the news, has a 49 percent approval rating and the highest unfavorable rating (31 percent) among the state’s three statewide office-holders. The split for Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling is 39-20, with the balance undecided.
The General Assembly. Even the politically divided legislature fares well in this survey, with 48 percent approving and 33 percent disapproving.
Same sex marriage. Five years after voters approved a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages, 52 percent said they would oppose a law allowing such unions. But the poll reveals a stark generation gap on this issue. Voters younger than 35 year old support same-sex marriage by a margin of 63-29.
Gay adoption. A solid majority (59 percent) said state-run adoption agencies should not discriminate against prospective parents based on sexual orientation. But, by a margin of 48-45, voters said church-run agencies should be allowed to do so.
Uranium mining. Voters are split (41-41) on whether Virginia should lift its ban on uranium mining, an issue that has become radioactive, you might say, in Pittsylvania County.
These numbers are not broken down by region, but here are the results that Quinnipiac released this morning:
2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bob McDonnell is handling his job as Governor?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Approve 55% 77% 33% 59% 61% 50% 58% 50%
Disapprove 26 11 42 24 25 26 25 25
DK/NA 19 13 25 16 14 24 17 25
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Approve 45% 58% 60% 57% 54% 63% 27% 55% 73%
Disapprove 30 27 23 24 28 20 54 26 11
DK/NA 26 15 16 19 18 17 19 19 16
3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Approve 48% 61% 36% 50% 53% 44% 50% 50%
Disapprove 33 20 44 33 33 33 32 32
DK/NA 19 18 20 17 14 24 18 17
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Approve 48% 49% 50% 47% 50% 49% 29% 50% 59%
Disapprove 26 38 31 34 32 31 51 34 22
DK/NA 27 12 19 19 18 19 20 17 19
7. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Bolling is handling his job as
Lieutenant Governor?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Approve 39% 47% 33% 37% 44% 33% 37% 49%
Disapprove 20 15 27 18 19 20 19 20
DK/NA 42 38 40 45 36 47 44 31
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Approve 36% 41% 39% 43% 32% 44% 24% 38% 49%
Disapprove 26 20 16 20 19 18 34 20 12
DK/NA 38 40 45 37 49 37 42 42 39
8. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ken Cuccinelli is handling his job as
Virginia Attorney General?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Approve 49% 71% 28% 50% 52% 46% 52% 40%
Disapprove 31 14 46 31 34 29 30 33
DK/NA 20 15 25 19 15 25 17 27
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Approve 45% 49% 52% 52% 44% 60% 25% 42% 72%
Disapprove 29 34 30 27 38 23 59 37 11
DK/NA 26 17 17 21 18 17 16 21 17
13. Regardless of how you feel about Bob McDonnell’s policies, would you say you like or don’t like Bob McDonnell as a person?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Like 57% 72% 43% 61% 64% 50% 59% 57%
Don’t Like 16 7 28 13 17 16 14 21
DK/NA 27 21 29 26 19 34 26 22
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Like 51% 58% 61% 57% 57% 64% 37% 60% 66%
Don’t Like 22 17 12 17 16 11 37 16 7
DK/NA 27 25 27 26 28 25 27 24 27
14. And regardless of how you feel about Bob McDonnell as a person, would you say you like or don’t like most of Bob McDonnell’s policies?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Like 48% 74% 21% 51% 54% 43% 52% 40%
Don’t Like 33 13 55 31 34 32 31 38
DK/NA 19 13 23 17 13 25 17 22
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Like 40% 49% 54% 49% 47% 61% 25% 42% 72%
Don’t Like 39 35 27 31 35 24 59 36 15
DK/NA 20 16 19 19 18 15 16 22 13
15. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in Virginia today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Very satisfied 11% 16% 6% 11% 12% 9% 11% 12%
Smwht satisfied 57 61 51 59 58 56 59 56
Smwht dissatisfied 23 17 31 20 21 24 22 24
Very dissatisfied 8 4 11 9 8 9 8 8
DK/NA 1 1 1 1 - 2 1 1
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Very satisfied 11% 8% 13% 11% 11% 11% 5% 8% 17%
Smwht satisfied 58 58 55 56 59 60 43 62 61
Smwht dissatisfied 23 24 23 23 23 19 39 22 14
Very dissatisfied 7 9 8 10 7 9 11 6 8
DK/NA 1 - 1 1 1 - 1 1 1
16. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bob McDonnell is handling the state budget?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Approve 50% 68% 32% 52% 58% 42% 54% 38%
Disapprove 34 20 48 33 32 36 31 45
DK/NA 16 12 20 15 10 22 15 17
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Approve 41% 51% 55% 50% 51% 61% 24% 48% 67%
Disapprove 42 37 28 35 33 28 57 36 20
DK/NA 17 12 17 16 16 11 18 16 12
17. How much have you heard or read about the new state budget agreed to by
Governor McDonnell and the state legislature? A lot, some, not much, or nothing at all?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
A lot 11% 7% 11% 15% 13% 10% 11% 14%
Some 45 51 41 46 49 41 46 37
Not much 30 28 34 28 28 32 30 38
Nothing at all 13 13 14 10 10 16 13 10
DK/NA 1 1 1 1 - 1 1 1
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
A lot 7% 12% 14% 10% 14% 10% 12% 11% 11%
Some 40 51 43 42 49 50 40 44 51
Not much 32 29 30 33 26 28 32 31 27
Nothing at all 21 9 12 15 10 13 15 14 11
DK/NA - - 1 1 1 - 1 - 1
18. Do you approve or disapprove of the state budget agreed to by Governor McDonnell
and the state legislature?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Approve 40% 55% 23% 45% 50% 31% 44% 33%
Disapprove 30 14 49 27 28 32 27 40
DK/NA 29 30 29 27 22 37 29 27
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Approve 33% 44% 43% 41% 40% 49% 20% 40% 54%
Disapprove 34 31 26 30 30 24 52 32 16
DK/NA 33 26 31 29 30 27 28 28 30
19. Do you think the new state budget is fair or unfair to people like you?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Fair 43% 57% 34% 46% 52% 36% 47% 38%
Unfair 32 23 44 29 28 36 28 40
DK/NA 25 20 23 25 20 29 25 23
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Fair 40% 44% 47% 41% 49% 49% 29% 44% 54%
Unfair 31 36 28 36 26 29 45 33 23
DK/NA 28 20 25 24 25 22 26 23 24
20. What do you think about the cuts in state spending in the new budget?
Do you think the cuts in state spending go too far, not far enough or are they about right?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Too far 29% 14% 47% 26% 25% 33% 25% 41%
Not far enough 24 31 13 25 27 20 24 19
About right 29 37 23 32 34 25 32 27
DK/NA 18 18 17 17 14 21 19 12
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Too far 30% 31% 27% 29% 29% 22% 49% 32% 15%
Not far enough 23 28 22 25 22 27 16 20 32
About right 29 26 33 28 32 32 14 31 37
DK/NA 18 16 18 17 18 19 21 17 16
21. Would you support or oppose a law that would allow same-sex couples to get married?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Support 41% 21% 59% 42% 38% 44% 42% 35%
Oppose 52 74 35 50 55 49 53 55
DK/NA 7 5 6 8 7 6 5 10
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Support 63% 42% 28% 34% 52% 16% 81% 46% 15%
Oppose 29 53 65 60 41 81 15 48 78
DK/NA 7 4 7 6 6 3 4 6 7
22. Do you support or oppose allowing same-sex couples to adopt children?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Support 51% 33% 67% 52% 49% 54% 53% 48%
Oppose 43 61 30 41 45 40 42 46
DK/NA 6 6 3 7 6 6 5 6
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Support 70% 55% 39% 43% 65% 31% 80% 60% 27%
Oppose 27 40 54 52 29 65 18 35 65
DK/NA 4 5 7 6 6 4 2 5 8
23. Currently in Virginia, state and church run adoption agencies can prevent an adoption to prospective parents based on their sexual orientation. Do you think that policy should be continued or ended?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Continued 42% 62% 26% 41% 46% 37% 43% 38%
Ended 51 32 69 50 48 53 50 54
DK/NA 7 6 5 9 6 9 7 8
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Continued 25% 43% 49% 48% 32% 62% 21% 35% 62%
Ended 71 51 41 46 59 34 75 58 31
DK/NA 3 6 10 6 9 5 4 7 7
24. Do you think that: State-run adoption agencies should be allowed to prevent an adoption if the prospective parents are gay or lesbian or don’t you think so?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Yes 35% 52% 23% 32% 36% 33% 35% 34%
No 59 43 72 61 58 60 59 58
DK/NA 6 6 4 7 6 7 6 8
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Yes 18% 34% 43% 40% 26% 54% 17% 29% 52%
No 79 61 48 53 68 39 81 65 41
DK/NA 3 5 9 6 5 6 2 6 7
25. Do you think that: Church-run adoption agencies should be allowed to prevent an adoption if the prospective parents are gay or lesbian or don’t you think so?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Yes 48% 63% 33% 49% 53% 43% 50% 43%
No 45 32 60 45 41 50 44 51
DK/NA 7 5 6 6 6 8 6 6
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Yes 38% 51% 49% 48% 47% 63% 30% 42% 65%
No 57 44 41 45 46 33 63 50 30
DK/NA 5 5 9 7 7 5 7 8 5
26. As you may know, there is a ban on mining uranium in Virginia.
Some people say: There should be mining for uranium because of the economic benefits.
Others say: There should not be mining for uranium because of the environmental impact.
Which comes closer to your point of view?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk
Shld be mining 41% 58% 27% 41% 48% 33% 43% 35%
Shld not be mining 41 25 58 41 40 43 41 43
DK/NA 18 17 16 18 12 24 16 22
AGE IN YRS……. COLL DEGREE WtBnAgn POL PHIL………
18-34 35-54 55+ No Yes Evglcl Lib Mod Con
Shld be mining 35% 42% 45% 41% 41% 48% 22% 39% 55%
Shld not be mining 54 39 36 39 46 33 62 46 24
DK/NA 11 19 20 20 14 18 17 15 21
June 29, 2011 - 8:43 AM
Great numbers,plus our State is no. 1 for buisness in America with the highest score ever tallied since scores were kept in I believe 2006.Great job!!!