RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – Support for Governor Bob McDonnell and the Virginia General Assembly is falling.
According to a new Quinnipiac University poll out today, the Governor’s job approval rating has fallen to 53%. One month ago it was at 58%.
“The governor’s numbers are down, from a net positive 34 percentage points last month to a net 21 points today, but he’s still above the 50-percent mark,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “The controversy over the ultrasound and handgun bills would be a logical explanation for the decline in his approval rating, which had been above 60 percent for much of last year.”
Last month a majority of Virginians had a positive view (47%-37%) of the job the work the General Assembly was doing, the only legislative body in the country to have that distinction.
Now, only 38% of Virginians polled have a positive view of the General Assembly, compared to a 47% disapproval rating.
Recent controversies over abortion and gun laws may be the reason for the change.
Quinnipiac also polled on the law passed this year requiring an ultrasound for women undergoing an abortion. Voters disagreed 52%-41% with the new law. And 72% of voters said they disagreed with any law trying to convince women seeking an abortion to change their minds.
The poll also found that voters preferred the state’s one handgun a month law 53%-40% over the new law that ends that restriction.
Quinnipiac also polled voters on the other statewide elected leaders, but saw little change from last month:
Sen. Mark Warner 62%-23%
Sen. Jim Webb 49%-28%
Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling 36%-21%
Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli 45%-32%
The poll questioned 1,034 registered voters, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1% The full report including detailed crosstabs can be seen here.
