Staff Reports
It is not remarkable that all governors in the United States enjoy high levels of support from their constituents. A recent poll conducted by Morning Consult reveals that, regardless of political affiliation, every state's governor currently enjoys a favorable approval rating. Given the current level of dissatisfaction with governments, this may appear to be puzzling. However, the explanation is simpler than it may appear.
Every Single U.S. Governor Enjoys a Net Positive Approval Rating. There’s a Reason for That https://t.co/DvjAE6BEc8
— RedState (@RedState) July 27, 2023
Seven of the top ten most popular governors are unmistakably Republicans, while only three are Democrats. So, why does this occur? In any case, it's fairly straightforward. Typically, Democratic governors head blue states, whereas Republican governors govern red states. These governors were elected because their political beliefs align with those of the region's majority population. It's that straightforward.
NEW: America’s Most Popular Governors:
Scott (R-VT): 76%
Gordon (R-WY): 69%
Green (D-HI): 64%
Sununu (R-NH): 64%
Beshear (D-KY): 64%
Noem (R-SD): 63%
Dunleavy (R-AK): 62%
Ivey (R-AL): 62%
Lamont (D-CT): 62%
Justice (R-WV): 62%
*April 1-Jun. 30, 2023https://t.co/fAVc2SpXOm pic.twitter.com/VGu4bFTwWh— Morning Consult (@MorningConsult) July 24, 2023
And this paradigm also applies to Congress. While Congress as a whole is less popular than a Big Mac at a vegan convention, individual party-affiliated legislators are perceived differently. A majority of Republicans (54%) are satisfied with their party's leadership, an increase from last year. In contrast, approximately six in ten Democrats (61%) approve of their party's congressional leaders, a modest decrease from the fall.
Unfortunately, there are no recent data on state legislature attitudes. 71% of Republicans residing in Republican-led states had a favorable opinion of their state government in 2013, according to a study. In states led by Democrats, only 30% of Republicans held the same opinion. On the Democratic side, 64% of those in Democratic-led states held favorable views of their state governments, while they held unfavorable views of opposing party-led governments.
While some people may have specific complaints about their governor's manner of leadership, the general consensus is that people are pleased with their state's leaders. For instance, even conservatives in Texas may criticize the governing style of Governor Greg Abbott, but they will not support Beto O'Rourke, whom they view as an imposter. This phenomenon extends to additional states. People appear to be generally satisfied with their state leaders, making a compelling case for a decentralized government and increased state authority.
So, while it may come as a surprise that all governors enjoy high approval ratings, the reasons for this are quite straightforward: people tend to align themselves with their state's politics, and state leadership appears to be more enticing to citizens than the federal government.
