Raleigh, N.C. – It may be a moot point with today’s court ruling, but Virginians have contradictory feelings about whether there should be a power sharing arrangement in the deadlocked State Senate.
On one hand only 31% of voters think the Republicans should have full control of the chamber, while 55% think there should be some sort of power sharing arrangement. Predictably Republicans think they should have all the power and Democrats think it should be shared. Independents tip the balance by siding with the Democrats in support of power sharing by a 53/28 margin.
That’s how Virginians generally feel about the issue…but when it comes specifically to whether they think Bill Bolling should be able to cast a tie breaking vote on Senate organization voters say yes by a 37-34 margin and independents side with the Republican point of view on the issue by a 41/37 spread.
Takeaway: in theory voters think there should be power sharing but they also think Bolling has the right to break the tie…so they’re basically sending a message to the GOP that it should share power, even if it doesn’t have to.
Bob McDonnell continues to have above average approval numbers in our Gubernatorial polling with 45% of voters approving of him to 33% who disapprove. In addition to most Republicans approving of him he has solid numbers with independents at 47/29 and receives crossover support from 19% of Democrats.
Despite his good numbers McDonnell as the VP choice would not be a game changer in the state. 30% say they’d actually be less likely to vote for the GOP ticket if McDonnell was on it compared to only 21% who would consider it a positive. That’s not really a reflection on McDonnell himself so much as it is on the fact that there isn’t really such a thing as a VP game changer.
PPP surveyed 600 Virginia voters from December 10th to 12th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-4.0%. 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 Bob
McDonnell’s job performance?
Approve…………….. 45%
Disapprove………… 33%
Not sure ……………. 22%
Q2 If Bob McDonnell was the Republican
candidate for Vice President next year, would
that make you more or less likely to vote for the
Republican Presidential nominee, or would it
not make a difference?
More likely…………. 21%
Less likely …………. 30%
Wouldn’t make a
difference …………..49%
Q3 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Mark
Warner’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .54%
Disapprove…………. .24%
Not sure …………….. .21%
Q4 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Jim
Webb’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .44%
Disapprove…………. .31%
Not sure …………….. .25%
Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Bill Bolling?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 21%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 22%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 57%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Gerry Connolly?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 8%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 18%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 75%
Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Ken Cuccinelli?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 29%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 39%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 32%
Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Terry McAuliffe?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 15%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 23%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 61%
Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Tom Perriello?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 17%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 24%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 59%
Q10 If the candidates for Governor next time were
Republican Bill Bolling and Democrat Gerry
Connolly, who would you vote for?
Bill Bolling ………………………………………………. 39%
Gerry Connolly………………………………………… 36%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 24%
Q11 If the candidates for Governor next time were
Republican Bill Bolling and Democrat Terry
McAuliffe, who would you vote for?
Bill Bolling ………………………………………………. 39%
Terry McAuliffe………………………………………… 36%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 25%
Q12 If the candidates for Governor next time were
Republican Bill Bolling and Democrat Tom
Perriello, who would you vote for?
Bill Bolling ………………………………………………. 39%
Tom Perriello…………………………………………… 35%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 26%
Q13 If the candidates for Governor next time were
Republican Ken Cuccinelli and Democrat Gerry
Connolly, who would you vote for?
Ken Cuccinelli …………………………………………. 40%
Gerry Connolly………………………………………… 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 20%
Q14 If the candidates for Governor next time were
Republican Ken Cuccinelli and Democrat Terry
McAuliffe, who would you vote for?
Ken Cuccinelli …………………………………………. 41%
Terry McAuliffe………………………………………… 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 20%
Q15 If the candidates for Governor next time were
Republican Ken Cuccinelli and Democrat Tom
Perriello, who would you vote for?
Ken Cuccinelli …………………………………………. 41%
Tom Perriello…………………………………………… 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%
Q16 Do you think that Lieutenant Governor Bill
Bolling should be allowed to cast a tie-breaking
vote when the State Senate organizes, or not?
Bolling should be allowed to cast a vote ……… 37%
He should not………………………………………….. 34%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 29%
Q17 Do you think Republicans should have sole
control of the State Senate, or should there be
a power-sharing arrangement with the
Democrats?
Republicans should have sole control…………. 31%
There should be a power-sharing
arrangement ……………………………………………55%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%
Q18 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 43%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 48%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 9%
Q19 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 9%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 15%
Moderate………………………………………………… 34%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 24%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 18%
Q20 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 55%
Man……………………………………………………….. 45%
Q21 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 ……………………………………………….. 36%
Republican……………………………………………… 33%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 31%
Q22 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 73%
African-American …………………………………….. 19%
Other……………………………………………………… 8%
Q23 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………………………………………………….. 14%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 30%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 36%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
