Poll shows new high for low marks for Ohio Gov. Kasich

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (CGE) - When Ohio Gov. John Kasich told Ohioans during his self-styled State of the State Address Tuesday, "I’m going to continue to travel. I’m going to come to where you are," that may not sit well with a lot Ohioans. In a new poll by Public Policy Polling, released the same day Gov. Kasich recounted his many accomplishments since he was sworn-in in January of 2011, Buckeye general election voters showed they dislike the brash, go-go CEO more now than last November, when his effort to neuter public worker unions, by defanging their collective bargaining powers to balance local budgets, was stuffed by a nearly 2-1 margin at the ballot box.

 

Gov. Kasich, who squeaked to a two percentage point win in 2010 over then-incumbent Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, would only be able to keep about 36 percent of voters who voted for him last time. Fifty-six percent said they would switch candidates and vote for Strickland, who campaigned with anti-SB 5 forces last year. PPP said Kasich loses almost 25 percent of Republicans to Strickland, and that 13 percent of independent voters would leave him, too. 

 

“Ohio voters sent John Kasich a strong message in November by repealing Senate Bill 5 and his numbers haven’t improved any since then,” Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling, said in a release. “He remains one of the least popular Governors in the country and that could help Democratic prospects in the state this fall.”

 

Kasich is well-known for brushing off polls like this. Like water off a duck's back, Kasich not only sheds criticism but gains strength from it. And while that's indicative of his combative style, PPP's survey results showing that only 33 percent of Ohio general election voters approve of his job performance, while 53 percent are disappointed, should not be dismissed during a presidential election year when Kasich's poor standing among state citizens could President Obama a pivot point he might not have factored on when Republicans ran the table on Democrats in the 2010 General Elections.

 

A serious case of buyer’s remorse on the behalf of Ohioans who voted for Kasich bodes well for Obama and Democrats, and could cause some problems for Statehouse Republicans, who have given Kasich most of what he wanted but who may balk at further catering to the peripatetic Governor if their chances at re-election could be endangered.

 

President Obama, showing improved strength in Ohio and other states, especially against likely Republican nominee former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, is up on Romney by seven percentage points. PPP said Romney’s problems essentially mirror Kasich’s personal numbers in the state. A PPP pollster said Gov. Kasich has "really hurt the Republican brand in the state" as the economy improves.