A new independent poll says Ohio Governor John Kasich has a positive approval rating for the first time since his inauguration. But the poll also shows most Ohio voters surveyed don’t want him to serve another term. Ohio Public Radio’s Jo Ingles reports.
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The Quinnipiac University poll shows Governor Kasich’s approval rating is 40 to 34 percent. Pollster Peter Brown says it marks an important point for Kasich.
Brown – This is the first time with registered voters that he’s above water. And he’s in decent, not great, shape.
Brown says there are other numbers that don’t look good for Kasich’s re-election bid. Out of all registered voters surveyed, 43 percent say he shouldn’t have a second term. 36 percent say he should. And out of REPUBLICAN registered voters, 41 percent say they believe another Republican should challenge Kasich in the primary while 44 percent say he should run again. Brown says it’s important to remember the context in which Kasich was elected.
Brown – John Kasich won very narrowly in a very Republican year. Obviously the 2010 playing field was a very favorable one for Republicans in this state. On the other hand, Kasich will have had four years as Governor. And elections in which there are incumbents are almost always about the incumbent.
As an incumbent Governor, Kasich has overseen a state economy that’s been improving since the day he took office. But he’s also backed some controversial legislation, including the collective bargaining bill that was repealed by a large margin at the ballot box last year. For his part, Kasich says he’s not worried about the mixed news in this poll.
Kasich – I’m not familiar with any poll. I know there’s something that came out but I don’t pay that much attention because, as you know, from presidential campaigns, it’s who you ask, what you ask, how you ask.
Kasich might not be paying much to this poll but Jerid Kurtz with the Ohio Democratic Party is.
Kasich – This Governor has continually betrayed the trust of Ohio voters, from Senate Bill 5 to staying silent on a number of issues including Planned Parenthood to his failure to clearly say that he doesn’t want to bring Right to Work in Ohio. This Governor has built a long record of disappointing Ohio voters. He’s stood in the way of transparency. His administration has shown more of an interest in political gain than routing out corruption so there are a number of problems that Governor Kasich faces going in to 2014.
Kurtz says Ohioans are starting to realize former Governor Ted Strickland was on the right economic path all along.
Kurtz – The issue was we weren’t creating jobs quick enough, that people didn’t feel the relief quick enough. Now as we know now, we saw the Ohio recovery which Governor Kasich loves to take credit for. This so called Ohio miracle began under Governor Strickland. Since January 2010, Ohio was recovering jobs and our unemployment numbers were going down and that was largely due in part to the efforts of Governor Strickland, President Obama and Senator Brown and our allies made to put Ohio back on track but unfortunately, Ohioans couldn’t feel it quickly enough by the time they got to election day 2010.
The Quinnipiac Poll shows Former Governor Ted Strickland has good numbers right now….if he decides to run again for the office. Pollster Brown says the poll shows 41 percent of Ohio’s registered voters say they have a favorable view of him over other potential Democratic candidates.
Brown - Obviously if Strickland decides to run, he starts off as the favorite because of the name recognition. But there’s a funny thing about name recognition….money can buy it.
Brown says 42 percent of voters surveyed think the state’s economy is improving while 19 percent say it’s worse and 39 percent say it is unchanged. And he notes….historically…..satisfied voters tend to credit incumbents so if the economy in Ohio continues to improve, so should Kasich’s chances for re-election.
