Kasich Improves in Latest Quinnipiac Poll
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A newly released Quinnipiac University poll finds Gov. John Kasich in an improved position as he faces voters in 2014. Buoyed by voter perceptions that the state’s economy is improving, Kasich’s job approval rating now stands at 54%-32%, his highest score to date. By a 49%-37% margin, voters say he deserves to be reelected.
The poll puts Kasich ahead of potential Democraic challenger Ed Fitzgerald, Cuyahoga County executive, 47%-33%, and also puts him in the lead over another potential contender, Richard Cordray, U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director and former state attorney general.
The number of people who think Kasich is doing a good job continues to climb incrementally and his favorable/unfavorable ratio among voters is “impressive,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
“The only bright spot for Democrats in these numbers is that Kasich remains just below the magic 50 percent threshold when voters are asked if he deserves a second term in the governor's chair," he said. "But he is awfully close.” Voters credit Kasich more than President Obama for the state’s improving economy. Improving economies tend to favor incumbents, which appears to be the case in the Ohio governor’s race, he said.
"Of course there are still 16 months until Election Day, so anything can happen. After all, 16 months ago, Kasich's job approval was a negative 40%- 46%, at the beginning of his reversal of fortunes from when his job approval was in the 30s," Brown added.
Kasich’s job performance is approved by 81% of Republicans, 52% of independent voters and 32% of Democrats. He has a gender gap with 62% of men but only 47% of women approving of his job performance.
In a trial matchup with Fitzgerald, the governor carries Republicans 86%-3% and independent voters 45%-28%, but loses Democrats 74%-11%. The Republican wins among men 56%-26%. Women are divided with 40% for Fitzgerald and 38% for Kasich. The governor carries all age groups and both those who are and are not college graduates, while also winning all income levels except those making less than $50,000 annually.
“All in all, at this stage, Kasich has done a pretty good job appealing to voters across the state," said Brown. "Fitzgerald remains pretty much an unknown to most Ohioans, with only one in four voters knowing enough about him to have formed an opinion. The election is a long way away, but the next stage will be the race to define Fitzgerald, positively by the candidate himself and negatively by the Kasich folks."
Kasich has a 47%-28% favorability rating. For Fitzpatrick, 76% don't know enough about him to form an opinion. For Cordray, 66% don't know enough.
Ohio voters approve 52%-37% of the way Kasich is handling the economy. Voters say 44%-11% that the economy is getter better rather than worse, with 42 percent saying it's unchanged. Among those who say the economy is getting better, 63 percent give the Obama Administration "a lot," "some" or "a little" of the credit, while 91 percent of Ohio voters give the Kasich Administration "a lot," "some" or "a little" of the credit.”
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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