Poll Hub: We Approve of this Podcast

Job approval ratings are a daily part of the political discussion, but why do they receive so much attention?  Do they really matter?

In this episode of Poll Hub, Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, Dr. Barbara L. Carvalho, Director of The Marist College Poll, and political journalist and tech entrepreneur Jay DeDapper discuss the historical context of job approval ratings and explain their relevance in modern day politics.

Together, the Poll Hub team explains the terms bandied about by the pundits and politicos and helps poll consumers sort through the current proliferation of job approval polls.  How do these polls differ?  What is a party spread?  Why don’t responsible pollsters model to certain electorates?  And, how do pollsters get at the “grey area” of public opinion?

Plus, it is all about the base.  The Poll Hub crew discusses how job approval ratings can indicate when a politician’s base is waning.  From President Donald Trump to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, whose base has deteriorated, Poll Hub assesses what their job approval rating means for the GOP moving forward and the impact on the 2017 gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia.