Corbett's Approval Drops to 36 Percent
Fewer Pennsylvanians think Gov. Tom Corbett is doing a good job
By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent
HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Corbett hit an all-time low this week.
Thirty-six percent of voters approve of the way the first-term governor and former Pennsylvania attorney general is doing his job, compared with 47 percent who disapprove, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll.
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But these figures don’t bother Corbett — he doesn’t read polls, he said. “If I was looking at the polls, I wouldn’t be doing some of the things I’m doing, would I?” Corbett said.
The poll queried 997 registered voters from June 5-10 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Corbett's approval rating is down from an all-time high of 50 percent based on a September Quinnipiac poll, which surveyed 1,370 voters.
Corbett had “a heck of start,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, especially compared with other first-term Republican governors in Ohio and Florida. “His approval ratings were high. They have precipitously dropped in the last nine months, corresponding in time to a budget which brought cuts to education and other services,” Malloy said.
Of the Democrats polled, 68 percent disapprove of Corbett's time in office compared with 26 percent of Republicans and 45 percent of independents.
Corbett also has a better reputation with men, with 40 percent approving, compared with 32 percent of women approving. Corbett’s not the sole target of Pennsylvania’s dissatisfaction with its state government. The state Legislature has an approval rating of 27 percent, crawling toward its all-time low of 25 percent in a May 2010 Quinnipiac poll.
Only 11 percent of respondents said Pennsylvania's economy has improved since Corbett took office, but within that group, 66 percent gave him credit for the improvements.
Of the 33 percent who say the state's economy is in worse shape, 63 percent put the blame on Corbett over President Barack Obama.
Other points the poll found about where Pennsylvania voters stand on the presidential election included:
- Obama leads presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney with 46 percent to 40 percent, alongside 2 percent who say they would vote for someone else and 3 percent who say they wouldn’t vote at all.
- Forty-nine percent of voters say Mitt Romney would do a better job repairing the nation’s economy, compared with 41 percent who say the same about Obama.
- Seventy-seven percent say Obama is a likable person, compared with 58 percent who say the same about Romney
Marie Fritzinger
9:55 am on Sunday, June 17, 2012
The "36%" are probably his cronies who he's giving the state's money to!
Earnest
10:18 pm on Sunday, June 17, 2012
This is what we get when people don't get off their duffs and vote in non-presidential elections.
Governor Corbett and those in the Legislature that have been voting for all of his anti-public education gimmicks that have shifted financial burdens on smaller groups of people, the local level, should be voted out of office.
This Governor and Legislature had the opportunity to create greatly needed revenue for Pennsylvania simply by placing a surtax on the billion dollar shale drilling companies, just like every other state has done and they failed us. Instead they falsely claimed that these companies would go some where else. The drilling companies haven't left the other states and PA had a bi-partisan agreement for something less than the other states, even our neighbor, West Virginia.
This Governor and the Legislature are also creating legislation that removes the rights of citizens at the local level, by stripping away the ability of the locally elected governing bodies to enforce rules that have been established per the communities citizens. Also, there is legislation that would enable the shale drilling companies to avoid the legal battles of condemning personal property and claiming eminent domain.
David Schnitz
10:18 pm on Sunday, June 17, 2012
He has made it painfully clear that he is in office for his personal gain at the expense of the state.
David Dawson
10:18 pm on Sunday, June 17, 2012
I,would love to hear why "It is the responsabilty of WORKING & RETIRED PA TAX PAYERS to pay for "Welfare Bums"Section 8,Medical Asstance,Cash & Food Stamps.1 good #$%^& Reason!!!
David Dawson
10:18 pm on Sunday, June 17, 2012
END PUBLIC ASSTANCE "NOW".Gov.you got no right to touch S.S./Medacare or anything that pa tax payers worked for. NOT OUR PROBLEM!!!
Version
4:40 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012
That didn't take long!!!!!!
Daniel Pipes
10:18 pm on Sunday, June 17, 2012
I can understand the the low approval rating but I don't understand how people can't be upset with constant tax increases by the former goveror. Everyone complains about property.taxes and local taxes but no one gets upset with state taxes. Throwing more money at anything has never worked.
Reasonable
5:11 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012
McQueen helped by endorsing Obama Democrat Welch. The voters rejected McQueen & Corbett & voted for Tom Smith
John Ryan
10:48 am on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Daniel,
The State tax increases were minimal compared to the constant property tax increases from this administration. Governor Corbett and the House and Senate go to Harrisburg take fat checks for part time jobs and keep kicking the can down to us to pay.
Lynn Pike Hartman
10:48 am on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Gov. Corbett walked into a financial mess, the Commonwealth was all but bankrupt. Former Gov. Rendell had spent hismself silly, depleated all surplus funds and left us deeply indebt. Corbett is making hard choices to get our financial house back on solid ground. I am sure it is difficult for him and it certainly is for us. I am reassured that we have a governor with the courage, will, and thick skin, to make these hard choices that will make our future better == and certainly for our children and grandchildren.
Jim
12:05 pm on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Corbett is a whore of the Fracking Companies Lynn Pike Hartman. He took so much money from these companies, Pa. taxpayers will vote him out in his next election. Corbett is making northeastern Pennslyvania a sludge pit and a E.P.A. superfund site, because he's the fracking companies prostitute, Lynne you have the word courage mixed up with the word coward. If governer Corbett had one iota of courage he would protect the peoples health of notheastern Pennslyvania, and tax these companies fairly. You must be related to governor Corbett Lynne,, because you spew all this B.S. on his behalf. Governor Corbett could care less about the childrens health, of Pennslyvania. If he cared about the children of Pa, he would not let the fracking companies pollute THIER water and land. Corbett = CORRUPTION, WATER AND LAND POLLUTION. CORBETT IS A CREEP THAT WON'T BE REELECTED LYNNE. YOU BETTER GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT LYNN NEXT TIME YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH, OR HIT THE PIKE
Michele
11:12 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012
Really Corbett you cut the cash assistance for the disabled. You have no clue with 2 new s.u.v.'s at your house. Tax breaks for company's really!!! You should be IMPEACHED FOR YOUR CRIME. What happened to getting out of the Liquor business you creep.