Raleigh, N.C. – Iowa voters are pretty evenly divided on Terry Branstad's job
performance as Governor. 45% of them approve of the job he's doing and
44% disapprove. But Branstad would nevertheless start out as a pretty
substantial favorite against most of the Democrats being mentioned as
possible candidates next year.
In a rematch of his 2010 contest with Chet Culver, Branstad would
start out ahead 50/40. Culver continues to be relatively unpopular in
the state with 34% of voters holding a positive opinion of him to 46%
with a negative one. Branstad's up 53/28 with independents and his
overall 10 point lead is similar to the margin he won by last time.
Branstad also has double digit leads over another pair of Democrats who
have expressed interest in running: it's 48/33 over State Senator Jack
Hatch and 47/31 over State Party chair Tyler Olson.
Iowa voters are pretty evenly divided on Terry Branstad's job performance as Governor. 45% of them approve of the job he's doing and 44% disapprove. But Branstad would nevertheless start out as a pretty substantial favorite against most of the Democrats being mentioned as possible candidates next year.
In a rematch of his 2010 contest with Chet Culver, Branstad would start out ahead 50/40. Culver continues to be relatively unpopular in the state with 34% of voters holding a positive opinion of him to 46% with a negative one. Branstad's up 53/28 with independents and his overall 10 point lead is similar to the margin he won by last time. Branstad also has double digit leads over another pair of Democrats who have expressed interest in running: it's 48/33 over State Senator Jack Hatch and 47/31 over State Party chair Tyler Olson.
3 other Democrats we tested come closer to Branstad, but none of them seem like particularly likely candidates. If Tom Vilsack wanted to make a return to his former office, he would trail Branstad only 47/46. Bruce Braley, who seems much more likely to be a Senate candidate, trails 47/41. And Dave Loebsack would be at a 48/38 deficit.
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