Are the stars misaligning for Gov. Bill Walker of Alaska? In just one year his approval rating among voters has dropped from 50 percent to 42 percent.
In the same period, his disapproval rating has risen from 41 percent to 48 percent, according to a major poll released today.
As the first gubernatorial candidates are beginning to file letters of intent, politicos are watching to see if Walker’s fortunes are fading enough for his Democrat base to abandon him and slide a candidate onto the D-ticket. In 2014 the Alaska Democratic Party vacated their gubernatorial candidate and supported Walker as their only path to victory.
A recent straw poll in Eagle River, not scientific but a “sense of the court,” placed Walker sixth, behind Sen. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican who has announced his candidacy. He even placed lower than U.S. Sen. Democrat Mark Begich in this solidly Republican corner of the state.
In 2014, Walker won election with the endorsement and financial support of the Alaska Democrats, winning with 48 percent of the vote.
Morning Consult surveyed 195,704 registered U.S. voters from April 1 through July 10 to determine the latest Governor Approval Rankings.
Gov. Walker, who has left the political party system that hasn’t worked for him, came out in the bottom fifth of all governors.
Only seven others ranked lower than Alaska’s no-party governor.
Cutting the Permanent Fund dividend, his obsession with building a gasline, and lack of leadership were the reasons people have cited in more scientific polling done recently, results of which have not been widely shared.
At the bottom of the popularity pack was N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, followed by Sam Brownback of Kansas:
In the survey, voters were asked it they approve or disapprove of the job performance of President Donald Trump, their state’s governor, both of their U.S. senators, their U.S. House representative and their mayor (if they live in a city with more than about 10,000 residents).
For each question, they could answer strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, strongly disapprove, or don’t know / no opinion.
The highest approval ratings were as follows:
