Posted on 09/28/2006 9:45:44 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
Gov. Schwarzenegger got more good news Wednesday with the release of a survey showing that his job-approval rating is on the rise among likely voters.
The survey by the nonpartisan Field Poll showed that 48 percent approve of the job Schwarzenegger is doing, up from a low of 36 percent in August 2005 but still a far cry from 2004, when his job approval rating was at 65 percent for most of the year.
More people now hold a favorable view of the governor as a person, 49 percent, than hold an unfavorable view, 41 percent, a reversal from earlier this year.
And about twice as many people think Schwarzenegger is doing better than they had expected him to do, 50 percent, as think he is doing worse than they expected, 27 percent.
Earlier in the week, a different Field Poll showed the governor leading his Democratic opponent, State Treasurer Phil Angelides, by 44 percent to 34 percent among likely voters, a two-point increase since July. A Public Policy Institute of California survey showed Schwarzenegger leading 48 percent to 31 percent, a four-point increase since August
But at the same time, some of the new Field Poll numbers suggest that voters are increasingly skeptical of the governor's political stagecraft.
Respondents were asked whether Schwarzenegger was more likely to do what he believed was right or what was politically popular. Only 41 percent thought he would choose what was right, down from 61 percent in February 2004. Forty-eight percent thought he would do what was politically popular, up from 28 percent in the earlier poll.
"Voters are seeing he's pulling the same levers as all politicians," Field Poll Director Mark DiCamillo said. "They do what's politically expedient in an election year."
Voters are also split about whether the governor has changed the way state government is run, as he promised to do in his campaign.
Forty-nine percent said they think he has done so to some extent, while 47 percent said he has done little or nothing to back up his promise of reform.
About half of voters in the survey, 51 percent, also think he has done little or nothing to reduce the influence of special interests, while 41 percent believe he has done a great deal or made some progress. Two years ago, 41 percent said he had done little or nothing to rein in special interests.
The survey, produced for The Press-Enterprise and other California media subscribers, is based on a random sample telephone survey of 739 registered voters conducted Sept. 14-24. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 5.3 percentage points.
The Sacramento Bee contributed to this report.
Voters are also split about whether the governor has changed the way state government is run, as he promised to do in his campaign.
About half of voters in the survey, 51 percent, also think he has done little or nothing to reduce the influence of special interests, while 41 percent believe he has done a great deal or made some progress. Two years ago, 41 percent said he had done little or nothing to rein in special interests.
Hos ratings will go back down when all the businesses start moving out and taking the jobs with them.
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