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Q-poll: Scott’s approval ratings go “from terrible to bad”

Posted Aug 5, 2011 by Catherine Whittenburg, Tallahassee bureau

Updated Aug 5, 2011 at 06:21 AM

Gov. Rick Scott’s ratings remain “seriously below water” according to a Quinnipiac University poll released this morning, with 35 percent of registered voters approving of the job he’s doing, and 52 percent disapproving.

That’s an improvement, however, from the 29 percent approval rating that a Quinnipiac poll revealed in May.

The new poll found that voters rate Scott negatively for his handling of the state budget and its fairness to average voters. Only 24 percent said they believed the new budget does not increase taxes; 19 percent said it does and 57 percent said they didn’t know.

“Given that voters say 58–29 percent they favor a budget approach that only cuts spending, rather than a combination of tax increases and spending cuts, it would seem that Gov. Rick Scott and his aides have failed to get their message out,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.  “Gov. Scott still has a long hike to parity in voter approval, but he has begun the trek.  Whether it is the beginning of a serious move or just a blip, time will tell.”

More Republicans have warmed up to Scott since the last Q-poll; he’s up slightly with independent voters as well. Overwhelming disapproval by Democrats changed little.

Forty-five percent of all voters surveyed said they do not like Scott as a person, the highest “dislike” that Quinnipiac has found in any state it has surveyed this year. 

“The improvement in Scott’s numbers comes primarily from those who would be expected to support him, Republicans and men.  But he still has a long way to go to reach the numbers that historically back Republicans,” Brown said.

“Making those voters aware he had kept his no-new-taxes pledge would seem to be the best way to win them back,” hes added.  “He also must improve voter opinion of him personally.”

Quinnipiac surveyed 1,417 registered voters by live phone interview from July 27 to Aug. 2. The margin of error is +/- 2.6 percentage points.