Thread: Poll: Bush's Poll Numbers Hurt Jeb

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005 ... 4848.shtml

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2005 8:47 a.m. EST
Poll: Bush's Poll Numbers Hurt Jeb

A growing majority of Florida voters disapprove of the job President Bush is doing, a poll shows.

Most also say they wouldn't likely vote for his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush, if he seeks the presidency in 2008.

The Quinnipiac University telephone poll of 855 registered Florida voters Nov. 8-13 found 61 percent disapproved of the president's performance, compared with 37 percent approval. Bush's approval rating in Florida has steadily dropped from a high of 50 percent in September 2004.

Floridians' assessment of the president's performance mirrors the way they feel about his handling of Iraq: 64 percent disapproval, 31 percent approval. Sixty percent said going to war there was the wrong thing to do.

As for Gov. Bush, 58 percent of Florida voters said they probably or definitely would not vote for him for president, while 33 percent said they probably or definitely would.

Among just Republicans, 62 percent probably or definitely would vote for him; 26 percent likely would not.

Russell Schweiss, a spokesman for Jeb Bush, responded to a request for comment in a brief e-mail: "The governor is not running." That reiterated what the governor has said repeatedly.

Right now, Floridians favor two New Yorkers for the major party presidential nominations: Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton and Republican Rudy Giuliani, New York City's former mayor. That poll question listed only likely candidates and excluded Jeb Bush.

Fifty-six percent of Republicans favored Giuliani, over Arizona Sen. John McCain, with 27 percent, and Virginia Sen. George Allen, with 9 percent.

Clinton was supported by 50 percent of Democrats over last year's nominee, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, with 26 percent, and Kerry's running mate, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, with 18 percent.

Giuliani would defeat Clinton, 50 to 44 percent, and so would McCain, 48 to 42 percent, in this state if the election were held now, according to the poll.

The poll's margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3.4 percentage points for the 855 voters. For 305 registered Republicans, it was 5.6 percentage points, and for 281 Democrats, 5.9 points.

Right now, Floridians favor two New Yorkers for the major party presidential nominations: Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton and Republican Rudy Giuliani, New York City's former mayor. That poll question listed only likely candidates and excluded Jeb Bush.

Fifty-six percent of Republicans favored Giuliani, over Arizona Sen. John McCain, with 27 percent, and Virginia Sen. George Allen, with 9 percent.

Clinton was supported by 50 percent of Democrats over last year's nominee, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, with 26 percent, and Kerry's running mate, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, with 18 percent.

Giuliani would defeat Clinton, 50 to 44 percent, and so would McCain, 48 to 42 percent, in this state if the election were held now, according to the poll.

The poll's margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3.4 percentage points for the 855 voters. For 305 registered Republicans, it was 5.6 percentage points, and for 281 Democrats, 5.9 points.

I can tell you right now that if the only choices I have in 2008 are a far left Democrat and a Republican in name only with no viable third party option then my a$$ is sure to be staying home on election day. Why even bother to vote at that point?