Raleigh, N.C. – Governor Bev Perdue’s job approval numbers have improved by a hair since April, but a majority still disapprove. 29% approve of the job she is doing in Raleigh to 50% who disapprove, which is largely unchanged from her 28-52 margin last month.
There has been slight movement among the ideological and partisan subgroups. Perdue has improved among independents and declined among Democrats. Among her own party’s voters, her approval dropped from 44 to 39, with 33% disapproving (34% last month). Independents now give her a 31-51 rating, a 13-point improvement from 23-56 last month. Perdue also went from 9-76 to 13-72 with Republicans. Significantly more liberals and slightly more moderates and Democrats are undecided than in April.
The generic state legislative ballot figures also remain essentially the same from April, with a 44-42 advantage for Republicans now, to 45-42 last month. The only real movement has come among independents, who went for Republicans 47-18 in April but now only 36-22, and men, who favored Republicans 53-36 but now only 46-39.
There has also been little change in the issues about which voters care, with the far-and-away favorite still being the economy and jobs, at 54%.
“The downward trend in Bev Perdue’s approval numbers began with the legislative session last year,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “She has an opportunity over the next couple months when she’ll be in the spotlight more than usual to undo the bad impression she made last time and start getting her popularity headed back in the right direction.”
Complete results are attached.
PPP surveyed 631 North Carolina voters from May 8th to 10th. The survey’s margin of error is +/-3.9%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
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…………….. 29%
Disapprove………… 50%
Not Sure……………. 21%
Q2 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……………………………………………… 44%
Undecided………………………………………………. 14%
Q3 How excited are you about casting your vote in
the general election this fall?
Very excited……………………………………………. 52%
Somewhat excited …………………………………… 27%
Not very excited………………………………………. 16%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 4%
Q4 Would you describe yourself as a liberal,
moderate, or conservative? If liberal, press 1. If
moderate, press 2. If conservative, press 3.
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 16%
Moderate………………………………………………… 41%
Conservative…………………………………………… 43%
Q5 I am going to name 7 issues. Which of these is
most important to you? The War in Iraq,
education, the economy and jobs, taxes, moral
or family values, health care, or immigration. If
the War in Iraq is most important, press 1. If
education, press 2. If the economy and jobs,
press 3. If taxes, press 4. If moral and family
values, press 5. If health care, press 6. If
immigration, press 7. If some other issue is
most important, press 8.
War in Iraq ……………………………………………… 4%
Education……………………………………………….. 11%
Economy and Jobs ………………………………….. 54%
Taxes…………………………………………………….. 6%
Moral and family values ……………………………. 10%
Health care …………………………………………….. 8%
Immigration…………………………………………….. 5%
Other……………………………………………………… 2%
Q6 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 ……………………………………………….. 30%
Rural ……………………………………………………… 27%
Small Town…………………………………………….. 29%
Q7 If you are a woman, press 1, if a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 54%
Man……………………………………………………….. 46%
Q8 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 ……………………………………………….. 48%
Republican……………………………………………… 35%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 16%
Q9 If you are white, press one now. If you are
African-American, press two now. If other,
press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 74%
African-American …………………………………….. 22%
Other……………………………………………………… 4%
Q10 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………………………………………………….. 10%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 22%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 44%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 24%
Q11
252………………………………………………………… 12%
336………………………………………………………… 18%
704………………………………………………………… 21%
828………………………………………………………… 14%
910………………………………………………………… 13%
919………………………………………………………… 22%
