Two Job Performance Polls Give Gavin Newsom Bad News…and Worse Ne

Los Angeles CA

03 February, 2021

12:34 PM

Description

Two fresh polls indicate that CA voters may be falling out of love with a governor who was elected by a record-breaking margin. Two new surveys show Gov. Gavin Newsom's approval among Californians plummeting from its highs early in the coronavirus pandemic. He's shown here at a press conference in the state Capitol following the first COVID-19 death in California on March 4, 2020. (Anne Wernikoff | CalMatters)By Ben Christopher, CalMatters February 2, 2021 Two fresh polls indicate that California voters may be falling out of love with a governor who just three years ago was elected by a record-breaking margin, and who early in the pandemic ranked as one of the country's most popular state leaders. How worrisome is this for the governor facing a burgeoning recall effort? It depends on which pollster you ask. According to the survey from the Public Policy Institute of California, the era of bipartisan good feelings now appears to be over for the governor. That's the bad news. About 52% of likely voters gave Newsom high marks, compared to 43% who disapproved of his performance. That still puts Newsom above water with the public, but it marks a significant and consistent decline in popular support from past polls. In October, Newsom's approval came in at 57%; in May, it was an even higher 63%. Institute president Mark Baldassare said the governor's stratospheric approval during the summer — in which Democrats, independents and even some Republicans applauded the governor for his handling of the pandemic — was the abberation. In this new poll, "now we're kind of back to the reality of hyper-partisanship" in which Democrats largely approve of Newsom, Republicans disapprove and independents are split. But a poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies tells a darker story for the governor. Only 46% of registered voters surveyed approved of Newsom's performance, compared to 48% who did not. thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks