Polls

Snyder, Republican legislature unpopular with voters

| Tom Jensen

Header-poll-results
Raleigh, N.C. –
A new poll from Public Policy Polling fings that Governor Rick Snyder holds a negative approval rating with Michigan voters. 47% of voters disapprove of Snyder’s job performance while just 40% approve. Despite the low approval numbers, voters appear to have little appetite for a potential recall of Snyder with 36% saying they would support such an effort and 55% opposing.

Voters are nearly split on whether Rick Snyder or Jennifer Granholm has done a better job as Governor, with 41% choosing Granholm and 42% choosing Snyder. More voters oppose (45%) than support (38%) Snyder’s recent signing of a law that bans benefits for same-sex partners of public employees.

The Republicans in the State Legislature are viewed unfavorably by nearly 2 out of every 3 voters (20% favorable / 63% unfavorable).  Democrats also have a negative approval rating (36/46) but they hold a 14 point lead in generic ballot polling for the Legislature with 48% of voters saying they’d vote Democratic and 34% saying they’d vote Republican.

“The Republican legislature in Michigan is nearing Congress levels of unpopularity,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Democrats should have a pretty good chance at taking back control of the House this fall.”

Senator Carl Levin holds a positive job approval rating, with 44% approving of his job performance and 36% disapproving.

PPP also tested the favorability ratings of several major Michigan cities. The results, in order of popularity, are as follows: Ann Arbor (63% favorable, 13% unfavorable), Grand Rapids (57/11), Lansing (49/16), Detroit (28/50), and Flint (13/56).

PPP will release a final Michigan poll, focusing on sports, Monday.

PPP surveyed 560 Michican voters between February 10th and 12th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-4.14%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews. PPP is a Democratic polling company, but polling expert Nate Silver of the New York Times found that its surveys in 2010 actually exhibited a slight bias toward Republican candidates.

Topline results are below.  Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor
Rick Snyder’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 40%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 47%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%

Q2 Would you support or oppose recalling
Governor Snyder from office before his term is
up?
Support ………………………………………………….. 36%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 55%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%

Q3 Who do you think has done a better job as
Governor of Michigan: Jennifer Granholm or
Rick Snyder?
Jennifer Granholm …………………………………… 41%
Rick Snyder ……………………………………………. 42%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%

Q4 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Carl
Levin’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 44%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 36%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 20%

Q5 Governor Snyder recently signed into law a
ban on benefits for same-sex partners of public
employees. Do you support or oppose this
ban?
Support ………………………………………………….. 38%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%

Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the Democrats in the legislature?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 36%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 46%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%

Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the Republicans in the legislature?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 20%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 63%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%

Q8 If there was an election for the state legislature
today, would you vote Democratic or
Republican?
Democratic……………………………………………… 48%
Republican……………………………………………… 34%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%

Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the city of Detroit?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 28%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 50%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 22%

Q10 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the city of Grand Rapids?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 57%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 11%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 32%

Q11 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the city of Flint?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 13%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 56%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 31%

Q12 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the city of Lansing?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 49%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 16%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 35%

Q13 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the city of Ann Arbor?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 63%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 13%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 24%

Q14 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 40%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 51%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 10%

Q15 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 12%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 20%
Moderate………………………………………………… 30%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 21%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 17%

Q16 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 55%
Man……………………………………………………….. 45%

Q17 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 40%
Republican……………………………………………… 30%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 30%

Q18 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 83%
African-American …………………………………….. 12%
Other……………………………………………………… 5%

Q19 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 16%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 26%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 37%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 21%

Q20 Are you or is anyone in your household a
member of a labor union?
Yes………………………………………………………… 30%
No …………………………………………………………. 70%

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