Virginians Don’t Like Their Republican Governor

Boo-hoo:

PPP’s newest Virginia poll finds that Bob McDonnell’s net approval rating has dropped 12 points in the last month, and that for the first time since taking office he’s under water. Only 36% of voters approve of the job he’s doing to 41% who disapprove.

McDonnell’s numbers are down across the board from our last poll of the state. He’s dropped from 73% approval with Republicans to 62%, 22% approval with Democrats to 14%, and from a 39/41 spread to a 36/43 one with independents. McDonnell’s favorability numbers are even worse than his approval numbers with just 32% of voters seeing him in a positive light to 45% who have a negative opinion.

McDonnell’s ethics issues seem to be driving this downturn in his popularity.

Oh really? You think?

I guess this is what happens when you take gifts from a shady corporate exec trying to buy influence, arousing the FBI’s interest, and spend public money improperly at your mansion, and otherwise come across as a walking ethics violation.

But the question is how McDonnell’s current troubles will impact the Republican ticket in this year’s state elections, specifically blow job hater Ken Cuccinelli (running for governor) and all-around wacko E.W. Jackson (running for lieutenant governor). And, well, things are looking good for the Dems, though there doesn’t appear to be much of a McDonnell drag:

PPP’s newest Virginia poll finds a pretty steady race with Terry McAuliffe leading Ken Cuccinelli 41-37. Those numbers are virtually unchanged from late May when McAuliffe had a 42-37 advantage…

The widest margin is in the Lieutenant Governor contest where Ralph Northam has a 7 point lead over E.W. Jackson at 42/35…

Democrats have a narrow advantage on the generic legislative ballot at 46/42…what that might equate to in terms of ability to gain seats though may be limited by Republican friendly districting lines.

Suffice it to say, Virginia Republicans, from the governor on down, aren’t terribly popular at the moment.

By: Michael J.W. Stickings

Founder and editor of The Reaction, a liberal political blog on American politics and culture.