Posted on 07/07/2009 3:56:49 PM PDT by JavaJumpy
Frustrated Ohioans are starting to blame President Barack Obama for the state's economic problems, according to a statewide poll released today. Obama's approval rating is in a free-fall in Ohio, considered by many political observers to be the most important swing state in a presidential election. A new survey by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute shows that only 49 percent of the state's voters approve of the way Obama is handling his job, 13 points lower than the 62 percent who gave Obama a thumbs up in a May 6 Quinnipiac poll of Ohioans.
The 49-44 percent approval rating represents Obama's lowest approval rating in any national or statewide Quinnipiac poll since he was inaugurated last January. In May, Ohioans approved of his job performance, 62-31 percent.
"The economy in Ohio is as bad as anywhere in America," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the polling institute. "These numbers indicate that for the first time voters have decided that President Barack Obama bears some responsibility for their problems.
"Until now, voters have given President Obama high ratings on the economy, blaming former President George W. Bush for their problems. They might be taking out their frustration on President Obama, possibly deciding that the change he promised has not come as quickly as they expected."
In other findings, the Quinnipiac survey showed Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner remain neck-and-neck for the 2010 Democratic nomination to replace retiring Republican Sen. George V. Voinovich. Both would defeat former U.S. Rep. Rob Portman of Cincinnati, the leading GOP candidate for Senate, if the election were held today, according to the poll.
Ohioans, by a small 48-46 percentage, disapprove of the way Obama is handling the economy, down from the 57-36 favorable rating he earned from state voters for his handling of the economy in the May Quinnipiac poll. "Ohio historically has been the prototypical swing state," Brown noted. "One of the reasons Barack Obama won the presidency by such a wide margin is that he carried Ohio with 52 percent of the vote and captured the lion's share of independent voters.
"Now, by a 48-46 margin, Ohio independent voters give the president a failing grade on the economy. These numbers indicate that he may be losing, at least for now, some of those who voted for him in November and sould be an indication to the White House that his honeymoon with voters may be ending."
A total of 66 percent of Ohio voters are "somewhat dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied" with the way things are going in the state, while 33 percent are "very satisfied" or "somewhat dissatisfied."
On Friday, a Quinnipiac statewide poll showed Ohio voters also blaming Gov. Ted Strickland for the economy and his overall approval rating was down 11 points from the institute's May poll. The sinking numbers for Obama and Strickland could portent trouble for Democrats in next year's mid-term election.
In the already hotly contested primary showdown for the Democratic Senate nomination, Fisher holds a 24-21 percent lead over Brunner, with 51 percent undecided. In a general election trial heat, Fisher would beat Portman by 37-33 percent, and Brunner would beat Portman by 35-34 percent. The polls shows Portman defeating Cleveland auto dealer Tom Ganley for the GOP Senate nomination by 33-10 percent, with 55 percent undecided.
The poll is not welcome news for either of Ohio's senators. Voinovich's approval rating is 52-29 percent, down from 55-30 percent in May. Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown's approval rating is 41-29 percent, down from 52-24 percent in May.
The Quinnipiac University Polling Institute surveyed 1,259 Ohio voters from June 26-July 1. The poll's margin of error is plus-or-minus 2.8 percentage points. The poll includes 483 Democrats with a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4.5 percentage points, and 445 Republicans wit a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4.7 percentage points.
jhallett@dispatch.com
Too late now, suckers.
Dear Ohio, you voted for him—sometimes multiple votes. Deal with it.
Looks like the hope and change ain’t working out too well for them.
Is the heartland awakening from their stupor? Too late is right.
“”Now, by a 48-46 margin, Ohio independent voters give the president a failing grade on the economy. These numbers indicate that he may be losing, at least for now, some of those who voted for him in November and sould be an indication to the White House that his honeymoon with voters may be ending.””
It seems to me the Quinnipiac represenattive did not enjoy saying this.
that 2nd stimulus bill will fix everything!
It is clear that Obama is getting even with states which did not vote for him either in the general or in the primary with Hillary. He is a mean SOB and POS,
Sorry, OH. You can’t take a mulligan on this one.
The dumb independents who helped swing the national vote. Nothing he will do will improve the economy. He only knows thuggery, fraud, govt handouts and has no clue about the free market.
My wife’s family is all from Ohio, right in the middle of GM and union employee territory. Many of the families have worked at GM for multiple generations. They all voted Obama.
I’m going up this week-end for the in-laws 50th anniversary. Can’t wait to see what everyone is saying now . . .
Is the heartland awakening from their stupor? Too late is right.
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Yep, an Obama voter with whom I’m acquainted said she was ‘terrified’ of Obamacare.
I just looked at her. What do you say to that, at least in polite company?
It seems to me the Quinnipiac represenattive did not enjoy saying this.
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I thought so, too.
It doesn’t make sense that both dems would be leading Portman, when Brown and Strickland numbers are down. It would seem that people are turning away from the dems and yet they have them leading in the senate race.
It would seem that more than a few Obama voters are getting a might testy these days ?
If Zero is doing so badly in Ohio, how can Jennifer Brunner (lying, cheating Sec of State) still be doing well?? Is it schizophrenia? Brunner is the reason that Zero took Ohio. She couldn't be bothered to purge all the bogus voter registrations submitted by ACORN. Zero won Ohio by an amount smaller than the bogus registrations. I love Ohio but I have to think that the people there were more intelligent a few decades ago.
As an Ohioan, I understand why so many democrats won here. We had Taft (R), one of the most clueless, incompetent governors in history, not to mention his admistration was riddled with corruption. Nevertheless, everytime I pass a car with an Obama sticker, my involuntary thought is “dumba**”.
You're asking libs and moderates to put 2 + 2 together and/or connect the dots, well beyond their capability.
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