70-percent of Californians disapprove of Governor Schwarzenegger’s performance in office….and only 22 percent approve. It’s the Governor’s lowest Field Poll rating since he was first elected in 2003.
“This Governor’s getting uniformly negative ratings.”
Mark DiCamillo is Director of the Field Poll. He says Republicans, Democrats and non-partisan voters are nearly equally disapproving of Schwarzenegger. The 22 percent is the lowest Field Poll rating of a California Governor. Ironically it’s identical to Schwarzenegger’s predecessor Gray Davis’s, shortly before he was recalled from office. DiCamillo says there’s no doubt the budget stalemate plays largely into the public’s grim outlook.
“There have been huge budget deficits and really no long term resolution of them, just kicking the can down the road and putting them off into next year. I think voters have this foreboding about what this means.”
Schwarzenegger’s highest approval rating was back in 2004 when 65-percent of Californians thought he was doing a good job. As for the legislature, their approval rating remains in the ‘teens—where it’s been since 2008. Right now 16-percent of Californians approve of lawmakers’ efforts. The survey also found that a whopping eight out of ten voters think the state is headed in the wrong direction.