Ohio Poll: New governor's approval rating at 40 percent

3/14/2011

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A new poll puts Ohio Gov. John Kasich's (KAY'-siks) approval rating at 40 percent heading into the introduction of his first state budget proposal.

An Ohio Poll released Monday by the University of Cincinnati finds 47 percent of Ohio adults disapprove of the job Kasich is doing and the remaining 13 percent have no opinion. Party loyalists are divided, with 63 percent of Democrats disapproving and 65 percent of Republicans approving. More than half of independents disapprove.

Thirty-eight percent of adults approve of Kasich's handling of the economy; 49 percent disapprove.

Kasich's initial popularity lags three of four recent governors: Ted Strickland, with 68 percent; Bob Taft, with 39 percent; and George Voinovich, with 61 percent. Only Richard Celeste was less popular at the start of his term, with a 32 percent approval rating.