-Michigan Governor Rick Snyder continues to be unpopular...but his numbers have improved a little bit from his first year in office. 40% of voters now approve of the job he's doing to 47% who disapprove. PPP's previous 2 polls on Snyder since he took office had found him with approval ratings of only 33% and 38% and both found 50% giving him poor marks.
Snyder's numbers with Republicans are pretty steady. His improvement comes because he's back above water with independents, if narrowly at 43-42, and because Democrats' attitudes toward him have softened a little bit. He's gone from 10/80 to 16/74 with them.
There is little remaining desire for a recall of Snyder. Only 36% of voters support one, while 55% are opposed. Even among voters who disapprove of him a sizable chunk do not support a recall.
Asked whether they prefer Snyder or his predecessor, Jennifer Granholm, Michigan voters split pretty evenly with Snyder coming out ahead 42-41.
-The news for Snyder might be getting a little brighter but that's not the case when it comes to the Republicans in the legislature. Only 20% of voters have a favorable opinion of them, while 63% see them negatively. With independents it's a 14/67 spread. The Democrats aren't real popular either, with 36% giving them a positive rating to 46% with a negative one.
Democrats should have a pretty good chance at retaking control of the House there this fall. They lead the generic legislative ballot by 14 points, 48-34. They have an 8 point advantage with independents and are also benefiting from superior party unity with 92% of Democrats planning to vote Democratic to 83% of Republicans planning to vote Republican.
-One specific action of Snyder's that voters have a problem with is his ban on benefits for same sex partners of public employees. Only 38% support him on that issue, while 45% oppose his stance.
-We took a look at how voters across the state feel about some of Michigan's major cities. Only 28% have a favorable opinion of Detroit to 50% with a negative view. Just 14% of Republicans have a positive view of the city with 61% seeing it unfavorably- so Mitt Romney's stance of 'letting Detroit go bankrupt' may not be that big of an issue with primary voters. Attitudes toward Detroit are extremely racially polarized with blacks rating it positively 56/25, while the breakdown with whites is a near inverse at 24/54.
Detroit doesn't have the worst statewide image of the cities we asked about on this poll though. That dubious honor goes to Flint. Only 13% of voters statewide have a favorable opinion of it to 56% with a negative one. On this Democrats, Republicans, whites, and blacks agree- they all have a dim view of Flint.
The most popular of the 5 cities we tested was Ann Arbor. 63% of voters see it favorably to 13% with a negative opinion. It's no surprise given the city's liberal reputation that Democrats see it most positively (73/7), but Republicans generally have a good perception of it as well (53/21).
Grand Rapids was the 2nd most popular city we looked at with a 57/11 favorability and Lansing was 3rd at 49/16.
Full results here
I don't know who you polled but you didn't call anyone of several groups I am in. People are mobilizing around the state to vote out republicans in the 2012 elections and are targeting his biggest supporters. It may be that the first recall failed but there is still strong grassroots feelings against snyder and it is even apparent in long term republicans.
Posted by: Sherry vincent | February 17, 2012 at 10:08 AM
Well, there you have it. This survey is invalid because no one bothered to call Sherry Vincent and ask her how she feels about the weather. Public Policy Polling, you should be ashamed.
Posted by: Rnegade | February 17, 2012 at 09:26 PM
As an Ann Arborite for the last 20 years, I am quite happy with this result :)
Posted by: Sophie | February 19, 2012 at 09:52 PM