Governor’s Popularity Plummets in New York

Friday, March 13, 2009

The botched Caroline Kennedy-for-Senate affair? Proposing a slew of unpopular new taxes? These issues and more have prompted a 26-point dive in New York Governor David Paterson’s approval ratings over the last two months.

Thirty-nine percent (39%) of New York voters now approve of Paterson’s performance as governor, including just seven percent (7%) who Strongly Approve, according to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of voters in the state.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) disapprove of the job the Democratic governor is doing, with 30% who Strongly Disapprove. Only one percent (1%) don’t have an opinion.

In early January, 65% approved of Paterson’s work, 21% of whom Strongly Approved, while 34% disapproved, including 19% who Strongly Disapproved.

The plurality of New York voters (45%) blame Paterson’s new low ratings on his own poor performance. However, 35% say the governor’s ratings are the product of the country’s overall bad economic situation. Nineteen percent (19%) aren’t sure which is the case.

Republicans are, not surprisingly, more critical of Paterson than his fellow Democrats, but most Democrats (55%) disapprove of the governor’s performance, including 23% who Strongly Disapprove. Forty-five percent (45%) of Democrats approve of Paterson, with eight percent (8%) who Strongly Approve.

By comparison, 26% of GOP voters in the state approve of his work, with six percent (6%) who Strongly Approve, while 71% disapprove, including 41% who Strongly Disapprove.

Among voters not affiliated with either party, 43% approve of how the governor is doing, with five percent (5%) who Strongly Approve, and 57% disapprove (32% of them Strongly).

The majority of Republicans (53%) blame Paterson for his low ratings, along with 46% of Democrats and 38% of unaffiliated voters. Thirty percent (30%) of Republicans, 36% of Democrats and 40% of unaffiliateds say the national economy is to blame.

Nearly two-thirds of New York voters (65%) approve of the job that President Obama is doing, including 45% who Strongly Approve. Thirty-four percent (34%) disapprove, with 25% who Strongly Disapprove.

Nationally, the Rasmussen Reports Daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday finds that 38% of voters Strongly Approve of Obama’s performance, but 29% Strongly Disapprove.

Paterson, 55, was the state’s lieutenant governor at the time Governor Elliott Spitzer was forced to resign in a sex scandal. Paterson became the state’s first African-American governor in March 2008 and is seeking reelection to a full four-year term in 2010. The most prominent name being floated as a possible Republican challenger is former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Paterson has faced heavy criticism for his handling of the U.S. Senate vacancy created when Obama named Hillary Clinton secretary of State and for his subsequent selection of Kirsten Gillibrand, a moderate Democratic congresswomen, to fill the seat.

Because of the state’s budget crisis, he proposed over 130 new fees and taxes, including a number of so-called “sinâ€