3/31: Voters Divide Over Obama’s Job Performance

The passage of health insurance reform has had only a slight impact on President Barack Obama’s approval rating nationwide.  46% of registered voters approve of the job the president is doing while 43% disapprove.  11% are unsure.

Click Here for Complete March 31, 2010 USA Poll Release and Tables

Mr. Obama’s approval rating has been hovering in the mid-40s for several months.  When Marist last asked this question in early February, 44% thought the president was doing well in office compared with 47% who did not.  In December, 46% approved of his performance while 44% gave him low marks.

“President Obama has scored a big legislative victory, but this has only translated minimally into his job performance scores,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.  “For many voters, he still needs to swish a few three-pointers to become a driving force behind this fall’s midterm elections.”

Although more independents disapprove of the job President Obama is doing than approve, the good news for Obama is he has regained support from some of these voters.  39% of independents say he is making the grade while 45% disagree.  16% are unsure.  In February, 29% approved of Mr. Obama’s job performance while 57% disapproved.  14%, at that time, were unsure.

Among Democrats and Republicans, there is still a wide partisan divide with 77% of Democrats thinking highly of the president’s actions and 85% of Republicans disapproving.  Nearly two months ago, 81% of Democrats approved of the job Mr. Obama was doing, and 80% of Republicans disapproved.

Table: Obama Approval Rating
Table: Obama Approval Rating Over Time

Majority Views Obama Favorably

Although President Obama fails to win the majority of voters’ approval for the job he is doing in office, 53% of voters have a favorable impression of him.  41% currently have an unfavorable view of him.  This is a difference of 12 percentage points between his positive and negative scores, double the difference he had in February.  At that time, half of voters thought well of the president, and 44% did not.

Once again, the president has independent voters to thank for his slight bump.  49% of independents think highly of Mr. Obama, a change from 39% in February.

Democrats and Republicans are, again, on opposite ends of the spectrum.  85% of Democrats give the president a favorable rating while 83% of Republicans bestow an unfavorable rating upon him.

Table: Obama Favorability

Obama Gains Followers Along the Road to Change, But …

Most voters — 84% — think the president is changing the country, an increase from February when 75% believed that to be the case.  But, is the change for the better or for the worse?  They still divide.  43% say the president is altering the nation for the better.  This is an increase in the proportion of voters who positively view the direction President Obama is moving the country.  In February, 37% thought he was improving the United States.  Currently, 41% believe the president is changing the country for the worse. In February, that proportion stood at 38%.

There has been a marked change among the parties on this question.  While more Republicans view the president as changing the nation for the worse, more Democrats and independents perceive the impact Mr. Obama is having as one for the better.  When it comes to the GOP, there has been a 15 percentage point increase among voters who say Mr. Obama is having an adverse effect on the nation.  78% think this to be true now compared with 63% who thought that way in Marist’s February poll.  Looking at the president’s own party, 76% of Democrats believe the president is having a positive impact on the nation.  This is a seven percentage point increase from that same February survey when 69% thought that way.  And, Mr. Obama has gained support among independents.  35% of these voters report the president is improving the nation while 26% held this view two months ago.

Table: Direction President Is Moving the Country

Independents Key On Question of Expectations

A slim majority of voters — 51% — say President Obama is either meeting their expectations or is exceeding them.  45% of voters, on the other hand, believe the president has fallen below their expectations.  When Marist last asked this question in February, 49% thought Obama met or went beyond their expectations, and 47% reported he did not reach their expectations. Independents make the difference on this question.  45% of this all important voting block think the president has either hit or gone above their expectations.  This is compared with 48% who say he has missed the mark.  In February, 42% said he either met or exceeded their expectations while a majority — 53% — thought he had fallen short.

Table: Obama Meeting Expectations

Handling of the Economy Divides the Electorate

49% of voters nationwide disapprove of the president’s handling of the economy while 46% approve.  In December, 51% disapproved of the president’s fiscal skills, and 45% approved.

While the electorate splits on how Mr. Obama is handling the economy, more than six in ten voters do not believe his policies are what caused today’s tough economic times.  64% of voters say President Obama inherited the nation’s economic conditions while 27% believe they are a result of the president’s policies.  9% are unsure.

There has been little change on this question from Marist’s February poll.

Table: Handling the Economy
Table: Current Economic Conditions Inherited

Marist Poll Methodology

Related Stories

3/31: Handling of Health Care Gets Thumbs Down From Majority of Voters

3/31: Voters to Congress, “Watch Your Back!”

3/31: Handling of Health Care Gets “Thumbs-Down” From Majority of Voters

The White House achieved a major victory by passing health insurance reform.  But, when it comes to American voters’ views toward how the president handles the issue of health care, the reviews are not glowing.

Click Here for Complete March 31, 2010 Poll Release and Tables

53% of registered voters nationwide disapprove of how President Barack Obama is managing health care.  41%, on the other hand, approve, and 6% are unsure.  There has been little change on this question since Marist last asked it in December.  At that time, 53% disapproved of the president’s handling of the issue, and 40% approved.  7% were unsure.

“While some voters may be in President Obama’s corner on health care, he has yet to convince a majority of the electorate that his health care initiative was the right thing to do,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.

The health care debate in Congress was far from a friendly bipartisan discussion, and the American electorate reflects this divide.  Nearly seven in ten Democrats — 69% — approve of how the president is dealing with health care while 89% of Republicans disapprove of the president’s approach.  As for independents, a majority — 56% — disapprove of how President Obama is handling health care.

Table: Handling of Health Care

Voters Divide About Historic Nature and Constitutionality of Health Care Legislation

48% of the American electorate believe the recently passed health care legislation is a mistake.  However, 45% say it is a milestone.  7% are unsure.

Once again, there is a partisan divide on this question.  74% of Democrats say the bill marks a major point in our nation’s history.  84% of Republicans report the bill’s passage was a blunder.  51% of independents also think the legislation was a mistake.

As to whether voters think the legislation is constitutional, there is also a split decision.  From what they have read or heard, 46% think it is constitutional while 42% say it is unconstitutional.  12% are unsure.

Table: Health Care Bill — Milestone or Mistake?
Table: Constitutionality of Health Care

Health Care: An Image Changer for the President?

While a majority of voters — 53% — say their opinion of the president has not changed in the wake of the passage of health insurance reform, nearly three in ten — 29% — say their view of the president has gotten worse.  Just 18% say it has improved.

Table: Impact of Health Care on Obama’s Image

Marist Poll Methodology

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3/31: Voters Divide Over Obama’s Job Performance

3/31: Voters to Congress, “Watch Your Back!”

3/31: Voters to Congress, “Watch Your Back!”

45% of registered voters nationwide are not satisfied with their elected officials in the U.S. Congress.  This is the proportion of the electorate who say if this fall’s elections were held today, they would not support their current elected official in Congress and would vote for someone new.  41% would vote for the incumbent, and 14% are unsure.

Click Here for Complete March 31, 2010 Poll Release and Tables

Little has changed on this question since Marist last asked it in February.  At that time, 44% said they would elect someone new, 42% wanted their current elected official to remain in office, and 14% were unsure.

“There is plenty of grumbling about Congress, and the winds of change are blowing,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, “Many voters think both the Democrats and Republicans in Congress are acting inappropriately.  Will they remember this feeling come November?  That’s still very much in doubt.”

Republicans and independents are particularly dissatisfied.  Half of Republicans say they would support someone other than their current elected official while 37% report they would support the incumbent.  13% are unsure.  When it comes to independents, a majority — 53% — would choose to oust their current member of Congress while one-third would vote for that person.  15% are unsure.  A majority of Democrats, however, are satisfied with their current elected official.  54% want their current member of Congress to stick around while 31% would like someone different.  15% are unsure.

While there is little difference among Democrats and independents since Marist’s previous survey in February, fewer members of the GOP now want to re-elect their current elected official.  At that time, Republicans were more divided.  48% wanted someone else, and 45% said they would support the incumbent.  8% were unsure.

Table: U.S. Congress — Incumbent or Other?

Congress: Breaking the Rules?

Are members of Congress bending the rules to get their way?  52% of the electorate think congressional Republicans have been mostly acting inappropriately while 38% believe they are mostly playing by the rules.  The American electorate divides about the Democrats.  49% of voters think the Democrats in Congress have been crossing the line while 43% say they have been playing by the rules.  When asked about members of the Tea Party movement, 41% say they are stepping out of bounds while 35% believe they are mostly playing by the rules.  A notable 24% are unsure.

Table: Congressional Republicans — Playing By the Rules?
Table: Congressional Democrats — Playing By the Rules?
Table: Tea Party Members — Playing By the Rules?

Country Moving Along the Wrong Path

53% of U.S. residents report the country is heading in the wrong direction while 43% say it is moving along the right course.  4% are unsure.

More Americans, however, do see the nation moving in the correct direction compared with Marist’s February survey.  At that time, 54% said the country needed a new road map while only 38% thought it was moving down the proper path.  8% were unsure.

Table: Right or Wrong Direction of the Country

Marist Poll Methodology

Related Stories:

3/31: Voters Divide Over Obama’s Job Performance

3/31: Handling of Health Care Gets “Thumbs-Down” From Majority of Voters

Len Berman

Len Berman is an Emmy-Award winning sportscaster and New York Times Best Selling Author who has covered just about every major sports event including multiple Super Bowls, World Series, and Olympics during his 40-year career in broadcasting.  Mr. Berman is the creator of “Spanning the World,” a monthly collection of sports bloopers, which was a 20-year staple on NBC’s Today Show.  Len has thousands of subscribers to his Top 5 daily email which he sends from his website www.ThatsSports.com.

Mr. Berman is the recipient of eight Emmy Awards and 6-time winner of New York Sportscaster of the Year. He has just published his fifth book, The 25 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time (Sourcebooks).  His kids book, The Greatest Moments in Sports (Sourcebooks, 2009) immediately debuted on the New York Times Best Seller List. His other works include: Spanning The World (HarperCollins), And Nobody Got Hurt! (Little, Brown), and And Nobody Got Hurt 2! (Little, Brown).

His daily Top 5 email is featured on The Huffington Post and is received by thousands around the country.

3/29: Gillibrand and Pataki in Virtual Dead Heat

If former New York Governor George Pataki chooses to challenge Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for her seat in the U.S. Senate this fall, he would prove to be her most formidable opponent.

Click Here for Complete March 29, 2010 NYS Poll Release and Tables

If the race for U.S. Senate in New York were held today, Pataki would receive 47% of the New York electorate’s vote to Gillibrand’s 45%.  8% are unsure.  Little has changed on this question since Marist last asked it in its March 2nd survey.  At that time, Pataki led Gillibrand, 48% to 45%, respectively.  7% were unsure.

“Former Governor Pataki is the big unknown for Gillibrand,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, “With her approval rating at 27%, Gillibrand will almost certainly have her work cut out for her if Pataki enters the race.”

And, then there were three.  Take Pataki out of the equation, and Gillibrand’s chances become a lot brighter.  When matched up against Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman, Gillibrand bests Blakeman by more than two-to-one.  The senator receives 54% of the vote to Blakeman’s 25%.  21% are unsure.

Joining Blakeman in the field of Republicans who have announced their candidacy for U.S. Senate in New York are Joseph DioGuardi and David Malpass.  How do they fare against Gillibrand? If November’s election were held today, Gillibrand would be victorious.

She receives 54% of the vote when pitted against DioGuardi who garners 27%.  19% are unsure.  Against Malpass, Gillibrand takes the same proportion – 54% — to his 25%.  21%, here, are unsure.

Table: 2010 Gillibrand/Pataki Matchup
Table: 2010 Gillibrand/Blakeman Matchup
Table: 2010 Gillibrand/DioGuardi Matchup
Table: 2010 Gillibrand/Malpass Matchup

Pataki Makes the Difference Among NYS GOP

When looking at the field of Republican candidates without Pataki, there is no clear frontrunner.  A whopping 59% of GOP voters are unsure.  18% of GOP voters report they would support DioGuardi, 10% would back Blakeman, and 9% would back Malpass.  Had Dan Senor chosen to run, he would have gotten support from 4% of New York State Republicans.

When Pataki enters the picture, however, he leaves the competition in the dust.  62% of Republicans statewide say they would support Pataki in the primary.  DioGuardi comes in a very distant second with 7%, Blakeman receives 4%, and Malpass takes home 2%.  23% are unsure.  In this hypothetical contest, Senor would have garnered 2%.

Table: 2010 GOP Primary for U.S. Senate (Without Pataki)
Table: 2010 GOP Primary for U.S. Senate (With Pataki)

Marist Poll Methodology

3/29: Approval Rating Roundup: Gillibrand, Schumer, and Obama

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is having a hard time impressing her constituents.  27% of registered voters in New York State report the senator is doing either an excellent or good job in office.  34% think she is doing a fair job, and 17% think she is performing poorly.  22% have either never heard of her or are unsure how to rate her.  Little has changed on this question from when Marist last asked about Gillibrand’s approval rating earlier this month.

Click Here for Complete March 29, 2010 NYS Poll Release and Tables

Gillibrand does not even receive high marks from a majority of her own party.  34% of the state’s Democrats believe she is doing either an excellent or good job in office.  This compares with 19% of Republicans and 24% of non-enrolled voters.  And, there is consensus across the state.  28% of voters in New York City give Gillibrand a thumbs-up while 27% upstate and 26% in the suburbs do the same.

Table: Gillibrand Approval Rating
Table: Gillibrand Approval Rating Over Time

Schumer With Slim Majority

Senator Chuck Schumer’s approval rating is largely unchanged.  51% of voters now say he is doing either an excellent or good job in office, 28% report he is doing a fair job, and 17% believe he is performing poorly.  4% are unsure.

When Marist last asked this question earlier this month, Schumer was praised by 53% of the statewide electorate, 28% said he was doing a fair job, and 15% gave him poor grades.  4%, at the time, were unsure.

Nearly two months ago, Schumer’s approval rating fell to 47%.

Table: Schumer Approval Rating
Table: Schumer Approval Rating Over Time

No Bump for Obama Post Health Care Passage

President Obama’s signing of the House’s health care bill has had little impact on his approval rating in New York State.  53% of voters believe the president is doing either an excellent or good job office.  21% think he is doing a so-so job, and 26% report he is performing at a subpar level.

Marist last asked the New York electorate about President Obama in early March.  At that time, 52% gave the president a thumbs-up, 24% thought he was doing a fair job, and 23% said he was performing poorly.

Table: Obama Approval Rating
Table: Obama Approval Rating Over Time

Marist Poll Methodology

3/26: Cuomo Viewed As “Solution” … Approval Rating on the Rebound

Registered voters in New York State think Attorney General Andrew Cuomo could be the person to chart a new course for the state.  According to the latest Marist Poll in New York, 66% of voters say, if Cuomo is elected governor, he would more likely be part of the solution to turning state government around than part of the problem.  22% report he is more likely to be part of the problem.  12% are unsure.

“Voters are looking for someone who can turn state government around, and most plan to look no farther than Andrew Cuomo,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.

This perception of Cuomo crosses party lines.  Not surprisingly, 74% of Democrats see Cuomo as someone who can help improve state government and even half of Republicans say the same.  Looking at non-enrolled voters statewide, 71% believe Cuomo would be more likely to be a solution to the state’s problems than part of their cause.

Table:  Cuomo – Part of State’s Solution or Problem

Click Here for Complete March 26, 2010 NYS Poll Release and Tables

Cuomo Approval Rating at 61%

After a drop earlier this month prior to Cuomo’s recusal from investigating Governor Paterson, Cuomo’s job approval rating has taken a turn for the better.  61% of voters say Cuomo is doing either an excellent or good job in office.  26% report he is doing a fair job, and just 8% think he is performing poorly.  An additional 5% are unsure.

In Marist’s March 9th survey, Cuomo’s approval rating stood at 54%.  31% thought he was doing a fair job, and 8% thought he was off target.  7% were unsure.

“Attorney General Cuomo may have stubbed his toe briefly during the investigation of Governor Paterson, but he is back on his feet again and poised to start running for governor,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.

Table: Cuomo Approval Rating
Table: Cuomo Approval Rating Over Time

Cuomo with Wide Lead Against Lazio, Levy

Although Cuomo has yet to toss his proverbial hat into the gubernatorial ring, speculation about a possible candidacy is high.  Should Cuomo decide to run, to say he is well-positioned is an understatement.  When pitted against Republican candidate, former U.S. Representative Rick Lazio, Cuomo leads Lazio, 61% to 30%, respectively.  9% are unsure.

When Marist last posed this hypothetical contest to voters in its March 2nd poll, 64% of registered voters said they would cast their ballot for Cuomo while 28% thought they would support Lazio.  8% were unsure.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy recently announced he will switch parties and will seek the Republican nomination for governor.  How does he stack up against Cuomo?  Here, Cuomo enjoys a slightly wider lead.  He receives 65% of voters’ support compared with 26% for Levy.  9% are unsure.

Table: Cuomo/Lazio 2010 Matchup
Table: Cuomo/Levy 2010 Matchup

Lazio Pick of GOP Majority

In the race for the Republican nomination for governor, Rick Lazio receives majority support from his party’s rank-and-file members.  53% of the state’s GOP voters report they would support Lazio if the primary were held today while just 21% report they would back Levy.  26%, however, are unsure.

Table: Lazio/Levy 2010 Matchup

Marist Poll Methodology

3/26: Voters Bash Paterson on Budget … Job Approval Rating Scraping Bottom

With New York State’s budget deadline looming, how do registered voters statewide think Governor David Paterson is handling the state’s budget?  Nearly two-thirds — 64% — disapprove of the governor’s budgetary skills while 28% approve.  8% are unsure.

Click Here for Complete March 26, 2010 NYS Poll Release and Tables

Voters’ dissatisfaction with the governor on this issue has grown since Marist last asked it earlier this month. In its March 9th survey, 58% of voters panned Paterson’s fiscal ability compared with 35% who applauded it.  7% were unsure.

“Paterson may have nixed his election plans in order to govern New York, but voters aren’t buying it,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. “His numbers remain at historic lows.”

Although Paterson’s ranking on the budget is low, it’s not as low as his overall job approval rating.  Overwhelmingly, voters disapprove of how he is doing as governor.  Just 17% believe he is doing either an excellent or good job in office.  This proportion matches his lowest approval rating which he received last September.  Currently, 39% say he is doing a fair job, and another 41% think he is performing poorly.  Just 3% are unsure.

When Marist last asked about the governor’s approval rating in its March 9th poll, 19% gave him high marks, 43% said he was doing an average job, and 36% reported he was performing poorly.  2% were unsure.

Table: Paterson Handling of Budget
Table: Paterson Approval Rating
Table: Paterson Approval Rating Over Time

“Pass Budget On Time,” Say 59% of Voters

Nearly six in ten members of the statewide electorate — 59% — think it is imperative that the New York State budget be passed by its April 1st deadline.  This includes 32% who say that meeting the deadline matters a great deal and 27% who report it means a good amount to them.  On the other hand, it matters little to 23% of voters and not at all to 16%.  2% are unsure.

Although Republicans place greater importance on passing the budget on time, a majority of Democrats agree.  68% of Republicans say approving the budget by next Thursday matters either a great or good amount to them while 55% of Democrats say the same.  58% of non-enrolled voters share this view.

Table: Budget Deadline

Poor Ratings for NYS Senate and Assembly

Governor Paterson isn’t the only one in the doghouse among New York voters.  The State Senate and Assembly aren’t faring better.  83% of voters aren’t happy with the Senate’s performance including nearly half — 48% — who say it is performing poorly and 35% who report it is doing a fair job.  Just 14% believe the Senate is doing either an excellent or good job in office.  3% are unsure.

Little has changed on this question from when Marist last asked it in its March 3rd poll.

As for the State Assembly, 83% are dissatisfied with its job performance.  This includes 47% who say it is doing a poor job and 36% who believe the job it is doing is just fair.  Only 13% think it is doing either an excellent or good job in office.  4% are unsure.  Here, too, little has changed since Marist’s previous poll.

Table: New York State Senate Job Approval Rating
Table: New York State Assembly Job Approval Rating

Dismal View of the Direction of State

With the low approval ratings of Governor Paterson, the State Senate, and the State Assembly, it’s not surprising that voters think the state needs to be re-directed.

Nearly eight in ten members of the electorate — 78% — say the state is headed in the wrong direction.  This is the greatest proportion of voters in decades who think the direction of the state needs to be changed.  The figure has been ticking up since Paterson took office in 2008.  When Marist last asked it in its March 2nd survey, 76% thought the state should alter its course.

In fact, voters are so dissatisfied with state government that 71% report major changes are needed, and another 15% think minor changes are needed.  13% believe the situation is so bad that state government is broken and beyond repair.  Only 1% report no changes are needed.

When Marist last asked this question in February, 67% thought major changes were needed, and 21% reported minor changes would fix the problems in state government.  12% said the way things are done in state government were broken and beyond repair, and fewer than 1% believed no change was called for.

Table: NYS Direction
Table: NYS Direction Over Time
Table: Status of Government in Albany

Ravitch’s Name Recognition Grows

The recent scandals focusing on Governor Paterson have drawn Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch into the public’s view, and more voters have formed an opinion about his job performance.

Although 29% of voters statewide still say they have either never heard of or are unsure how to rate Ravitch, that proportion has fallen since Marist’s March 9th survey.  At that time, 41% did not have a clear impression of him.

So, where does his approval rating stand?  25% currently report Ravitch is doing an excellent or good job in office, 35% think he is doing a fair job, and 11% say he is performing poorly.  Earlier this month, 21% thought he was executing his duties at an above average level, 30% believed Ravitch was doing an average job, and 8% believed he was falling short.

Table: Ravitch Approval Rating

DiNapoli Approval Rating Dips

New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has consistently struggled to make inroads with the state’s electorate, and the news has gotten worse.

29% currently believe the comptroller is doing either an excellent or good job in office.  This is a decrease from Marist’s March 3rd survey when 34% gave him a thumbs-up.  31% now say he is doing a fair job, and 9% believe he is performing poorly.  And, 31% have either never heard of him or are unsure how to rate him.  When Marist last asked about DiNapoli, 30% said he was doing an average job, 9% thought he was performing below average, and 27% were unsure.

Table: DiNapoli Approval Rating
Table: DiNapoli Approval Rating Over Time

Marist Poll Methodology

3/17: Cuomo: Decisive or Defensive?

Lee Miringoff breaks down the political future of Andrew Cuomo after the New York attorney general recused himself from investigating Governor David Paterson:

3/15: Intelligent Life Online?

Does the Internet “dumb” Americans down?  That’s the question the Marist Poll asked in its latest national survey.  And, the answer is, “No,” for more than two-thirds.  68% of residents think the Internet makes us smarter while just 23% believe it has made us less intelligent.  9% are unsure.

Perhaps, one of the most interesting findings is there is no generation gap on this question.  69% of Americans younger than 45 report the Internet makes us more intelligent, and the same proportion of those 45 and older agree.

But, women have a slightly better perception of the so-called Information Superhighway than do men.  71% of women think the Internet makes us smarter while 66% of men agree.

Table: Internet Make Us Smarter?

Marist Poll Methdology

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