Raleigh, N.C. – After showing progress through the first three months of 2010 Bev Perdue’s approval numbers are back down to where they were in December.

52% of North Carolinians disapprove of the job Perdue is doing while only 28% approve.  A month ago her approval was 32% with only 47% disapproving.  The Governor’s biggest problem continues to be a lack of enthusiasm from within her own party.  Just 44% of Democrats like the job she’s doing while 33% give her poor marks.

She is incredibly unpopular with Republicans at a 9/76 approval spread but that’s really nothing unusual in this political climate.  More worrisome for Perdue should be that 56% of independents disapprove of her to only 23% who say she’s doing well.

Perhaps in part a reflection on their feelings toward Perdue, North Carolina voters say they’re planning to vote Republican for the legislature this fall by a 45-42 margin.  Most notably independents lean toward the GOP 47-18.  Republicans also continue to be more unified with 89% of their voters planning to support the party this fall compared to 78% of Democrats.

“An unpopular Governor will make things much harder for Democratic candidates at the polls this fall,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling.  “Last year’s legislative session started Perdue’s approval decline and she has to use this year’s as an opportunity to get them headed back in the right direction for good.”

Despite a spate of recent Democratic scandals voters in North Carolina are almost evenly divided on which party they trust more to clean up state government.  41% pick the Republicans and 39% the Democrats.

PPP surveyed 742 North Carolina voters from April 8^th to 11^th.  The survey’s margin of error is +/-3.6%.  Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.

Complete results are attached and can be found at www.publicpolicypolling.com.

If you would like an interview regarding this release, please contact Dean Debnam at (888) 621-6988 or 919-880-4888.

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

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Bev
Perdue’s job performance? If you approve,
press 1. If you disapprove, press 2. If you’re
not sure, press 3.
Approve…………….. 28%
Disapprove………… 52%
Not Sure……………. 20%

Q2 Do you trust Democrats or Republicans more
to clean up state government in North
Carolina? If Democrats, press 1. If
Republicans, press 2. If you’re not sure, press
3.
Democrats ……………………………………………… 39%
Republicans ……………………………………………. 41%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 20%

Q3 If there was an election for the state legislature
today, would you vote Democratic or
Republican? If Democratic, press 1. If
Republican, press 2. If you’re undecided,
press 3.
Democratic……………………………………………… 42%
Republican……………………………………………… 45%
Undecided………………………………………………. 14%

Q4 Compared to other states, do you think taxes in
North Carolina are higher, lower, or about the
same? If you think North Carolina has higher
than normal taxes, press 1. If you think it has
lower than normal taxes, press 2. If you think it
has taxes about the same as other states,
press 3. If you’re not sure, press 4.
Higher ……………………………………………………. 59%
Lower…………………………………………………….. 10%
About the same……………………………………….. 26%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 5%

Q5 Who did you vote for President last year? If
John McCain, press 1. If Barack Obama, press
2. If someone else or you don’t remember,
press 3.
McCain…………………………………………………… 49%
Obama…………………………………………………… 48%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 3%

Q6 Would you describe yourself as a liberal,
moderate, or conservative? If liberal, press 1. If
moderate, press 2. If conservative, press 3.
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 17%
Moderate………………………………………………… 39%
Conservative…………………………………………… 44%

Q7 Would you describe the community you live in
as urban, suburban, rural, or a small town? If
urban, press 1. If suburban, press 2. If rural,
press 3. If a small town, press 4.
Urban…………………………………………………….. 14%
Suburban ……………………………………………….. 28%
Rural ……………………………………………………… 28%
Small Town…………………………………………….. 30%

Q8 If you are a woman, press 1, if a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 56%
Man……………………………………………………….. 44%

Q9 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If you are a
Republican, press 2. If you are an independent
or identify with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 47%
Republican……………………………………………… 35%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 17%

Q10 If you are white, press one now. If you are
African-American, press two now. If other,
press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 75%
African-American …………………………………….. 22%
Other……………………………………………………… 3%

Q11 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1 now. If
you are 30 to 45, press 2. If you are 46 to 65,
press 3. If older, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 8%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 25%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 45%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 22%

Q12
252………………………………………………………… 15%
336………………………………………………………… 20%
704………………………………………………………… 24%
828………………………………………………………… 14%
910………………………………………………………… 11%
919………………………………………………………… 17%