Finally, courtesy of VCU, we have a real poll on Bob McDonnell and Ken Cuccinelli, and the results are mediocre at best.
Virginians give Governor Bob McDonnell mixed reviews after just 6 months in office according to a new VCU Commonwealth Poll. Among those holding an opinion about the governor’s performance, 48% say McDonnell is doing an excellent or good job, 52% say it is fair or poor. Views about the direction of the state as a whole tilt positive with 47% saying the state is headed in the right direction, 37% saying Virginia is on the wrong track and the remaining 16% holding no opinion.
On Cuccinelli, one-third of Virginians have no opinion, and of the two-thirds who do have an opinion, it’s 47%-53% excellent/good-fair/poor.
On the “Tea Party,” a whopping 60% of Virginians say they’ve “not heard enough” or “don’t know” enough to have formed an opinion. Of the minority who say they know enough to have an opinion, it’s 19%-21% favorable/unfavorable.
On the overall direction of Virginia, it’s 47% “right track” – 37% “wrong track,” although only 37% of Virginians give the state “positive marks for fiscal management,” with the VCU analysis calling the numbers “surprisingly low in light of the recent announcement that Virginia now has a budget surplus.”
Comparing these results to Mark Warner and Tim Kaine at relatively similar times in their governorships, we find that Warner had a 60% “excellent or good” rating in July 2002 and Tim Kaine was at 56% “excellent or good” in April 2006. Also, Jim Gilmore was at 64% “excellent or good” in May 1998, and George Allen had a 66% “excellent or good” rating in July 1994. All of these are significantly better ratings than Bob McDonnell’s current 48% “excellent or good” score. That’s a lot different situation than Barack Obama, who’s almost exactly paralleling the approval track of Ronald Reagan at a similar point in his presidency, also during a deep recession.
In sum, “heckuva job” Bob, the people of Virginia are recognizing you for your accomplishments! (snark)
h/t: Washington Post Virginia Politics blog
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