Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has the approval of only 38 percent of Connecticut voters in his job performance, while 44 percent disapprove, according to a new Quinnipiac University Poll released Wednesday morning.
The negative rating is "apparently driven by 43 percent who are 'dissatisfied' with the new state budget and another 16 percent who are 'angry' with the budget," a Quinnipiac press release says. Just 36 percent said they are "enthusiastic" or "satisfied" with the budget, the poll found.
The new 38-44 percent job-performance rating for Malloy -- which includes 18 percent who had no response to the question of whether or not they approve of the way he's been handling his job -- compares with a 35-40 percent rating he got in a March 9 Quinnipiac poll.
Only Democrats rated Malloy positively -- 52 percent to 29 percent. Just 17 percent of Republicans approved of his performance, with 68 percent disapproving, while 37 percent of unaffiliated voters approved and 44 percent disapproved. Among men, it was 37-47 percent, and with women it was 39-41 percent.
Voters said they dislike Malloy's policies 50-37 percent, but like him as a person 48-18 percent, the poll said. It also found that 32 percent said Republican predecessor M. Jodi Rell was a better governor, while 20 percent said Malloy is better and 37 percent said the two are about the same.
"Voters disapprove 52-36 percent of the way Malloy is handling the state budget. Voters also disapprove 50-35 percent of the new state budget," the poll said. "Only 17 percent of voters say the new state budget spreads tax increases fairly across income groups while 67 percent say taxes should be higher on those with higher incomes."
"Gov. Dannel Malloy should be doing better in a blue [Democratic] state like Connecticut, but he gets only a 52 percent approval rating among his base of Democrats," said Quinnipiac Poll Director Douglas Schwartz.