April 1, 1998 - Clinton Gets High Approval, Low Morality Ratings, Connecticut Voters Tell Quinnipiac College Poll; Rowland Still In Driver's Seat In Gov Race Connecticut voters approve 64 - 34 percent of the job Bill Clinton is doing as President, according to a Quinnipiac College Poll released today. But he falls short, 38 - 55 percent, when voters are asked if "Clinton shares the moral values most Americans try to live by." In a November 1, 1996, poll by the independent Quinnipiac College, Connecticut voters gave Clinton a 56 -39 approval rating. The morals question was not asked in that poll. By a 75 - 22 percent margin, voters say Clinton cares about the needs and problems of families, and 52 percent say he has the same honesty and integrity as most people in public life, while 7 percent say he has more and 38 percent say he has less, similar to the November, 1996, poll results. Voters split 48 - 46 percent on whether Clinton can be trusted to keep his word, an improvement on his negative 38 - 54 percent trust factor in November, 1996. "President Clinton continues to enjoy a high approval rating, despite media reports focusing on alleged sexual improprieties. While only 38 percent of voters think the President shares the moral values most Americans try to live by, their overall satisfaction with life apparently is driving them to give Clinton good grades. They believe 3 - 1 that he cares about their needs," said Quinnipiac College Poll Director Douglas Schwartz. Connecticut voters give Gov. John Rowland high a 69 - 23 percent approval rating, again breaking the 3 - 1 margin. This approval matches the level of satisfaction in Connecticut where 73 percent of voters say they are "somewhat satisfied" or "very satisfied" with life in the state, compared to 25 percent who are "somewhat dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied." In the last four years, life in Connecticut got better, according to 53 percent of voters, while 11 percent say it got worse and 34 percent say it stayed the same. Of those who say life got better, 77 percent give Rowland a lot or some of the credit. In a reelection matchup with U.S. Rep. Barbara Kennelly, the Republican Governor tops the Democratic challenger 55 - 31 percent, a slight increase over his 52 - 35 percent margin in a February 18 Quinnipiac College Poll. By a 53 - 17 percent margin, voters have a favorable opinion of Rowland, with 23 percent mixed and 6 percent saying they don't know enough to form an opinion. Kennelly's favorability is 28 - 15 percent, with 17 percent mixed and 39 percent who have no opinion. Looking at Kennelly, 31 percent of voters see her as more of a liberal, while 31 percent see her as moderate and 9 percent call her conservative. Only 9 percent see Rowland as a liberal, while 43 percent view him as moderate and 39 percent see him as conservative. The economy/jobs is the most important problem in Connecticut today, according to 23 percent of voters, followed by 18 percent who list taxes and 15 percent who list education. "This poll has lots of good news for Gov. Rowland, who for the first time takes a 47 - 37 percent lead among women voters," Schwartz said. "Nearly half of the voters have not formed an opinion of Rep. Kennelly. Among those who have, women generally like her, while men have a more mixed opinion of her. Rowland scores well with both sexes. The Governor increasingly is seen as a moderate by the public. In November, a plurality of voters saw him as a conservative," Schwartz added. "Voters' top concerns continue to be the economy, taxes and education. And in another good sign for the incumbent, voters think Rowland would do a better job on the economy and taxes than Kennelly, and split between the two candidates on education." From March 24 - 30, Quinnipiac College surveyed 1,014 Connecticut residents who say they are registered voters. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent. The Quinnipiac College Poll conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut as a public service and for research. Additional data available. 1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way John Rowland is handling his job as Governor of Connecticut? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Approve 69% 85% 53% 72% 71% 67% 71% Disapprove 23 9 38 22 21 24 21 DK/NA 8 6 9 7 8 8 7 1A. Do you approve/disapprove strongly or somewhat? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Approve strongly 27% 48% 15% 25% 32% 22% 29% Approve smwht 42 38 38 47 39 45 42 Disapprove smwht 13 6 20 12 12 15 11 Disapprove strongly 10 2 18 9 9 10 10 DK/NA 8 6 9 7 8 8 7 4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling his job as President? Nov 1 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1996 Approve 64% 33% 87% 63% 58% 69% 56% Disapprove 34 66 11 35 40 29 39 DK/NA 2 1 2 2 1 3 5 5. How much attention have you been paying to this year's campaigns for Governor and United States Senator? A lot, some, only a little or none at all? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom A lot 21% 28% 21% 17% 23% 19% Some 39 34 32 46 38 40 Only a little 29 27 37 25 29 28 None at all 11 11 10 12 10 12 DK/NA - 1 - - 1 - 6. Is your opinion of United States Representative Barbara Kennelly favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about her? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Favorable 28% 12% 42% 28% 22% 33% 33% Unfavorable 15 31 6 11 20 10 14 Mixed 17 18 15 19 17 18 17 Haven't heard enough 39 38 37 41 41 38 34 REFUSED 1 1 - - - 1 1 7. Is your opinion of Governor John Rowland favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Favorable 53% 76% 37% 53% 57% 49% 55% Unfavorable 17 6 27 16 16 18 15 Mixed 23 11 30 24 21 25 24 Haven't heard enough 6 6 6 6 5 8 5 REFUSED 1 1 - - 1 - 1 8. If the 1998 election for Governor were being held today and the candidates were John Rowland the Republican, and Barbara Kennelly the Democrat, for whom would you vote? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Rowland/Republican 55% 87% 30% 54% 63% 47% 52% Kennelly/Democrat 31 8 56 30 24 37 35 SOMEONE ELSE(VOL) 1 - 1 2 2 1 1 WOULDN'T VOTE(VOL) 1 - 2 1 1 2 1 DK/NA 12 4 11 13 11 13 11 9. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in Connecticut today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Very satisfied 14% 18% 10% 16% 15% 13% 14% Smwht satisfied 59 66 60 56 60 58 60 Smwht dissatisfied 19 12 21 21 18 20 20 Very dissatisfied 6 3 8 6 6 7 6 DK/NA 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 10. Over the last few years, do you feel that things in Connecticut have gotten better, gotten worse, or stayed about the same? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Better 53% 60% 50% 53% 61% 45% 57% Worse 11 10 12 11 10 13 10 Same 34 28 37 34 28 39 32 DK/NA 2 3 2 2 1 3 1 11. How much of the change do you think is due to the policies of Governor Rowland? A lot, some, only a little, or none at all? Better Worse A lot 22% 26% Some 55 38 Little 18 27 None at all 4 6 DK/NA 1 3 12. Whose policies do you think are most responsible for the change? Governor Rowland's, President Clinton's, or the United States Congresses'? Better Worse Rowland's 37% 43% Clinton's 23 14 Congresses 22 27 Other/Someone else(Vol.) 7 2 DK/NA 10 13 13. Do you think Barbara Kennelly cares about the needs and problems of people like you? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Yes 49% 37% 60% 50% 44% 53% 51% No 20 32 12 19 25 16 23 DK/NA 31 31 28 31 31 31 27 14. Do you think John Rowland cares about the needs and problems of people like you? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Yes 58% 78% 43% 59% 62% 55% 57% No 34 16 49 33 31 35 34 DK/NA 8 7 8 8 6 10 9 15. Do you think of Barbara Kennelly more as a liberal, moderate, or conservative? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Liberal 31% 51% 22% 28% 39% 25% 31% Moderate 31 17 43 32 27 34 33 Conservative 9 3 12 10 7 11 9 DK/NA 29 29 23 31 27 31 27 16. Do you think of John Rowland more as a liberal, moderate, or conservative? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Liberal 9% 8% 11% 8% 8% 9% 9% Moderate 43 47 27 49 46 41 40 Conservative 39 40 52 34 40 38 42 DK/NA 9 5 10 9 6 11 8 17. What do you think are the most important problems facing Connecticut today? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Crime/Violence 12% 13% 14% 11% 12% 13% Drugs 5 2 7 6 4 6 Youth crime/ Violence/Gangs 2 1 2 3 2 3 Guns/Gun control 1 - 1 2 1 2 Police corruption - - 1 - - - Criminal justice system 1 2 1 1 1 1 Economy 18 19 20 17 20 16 Unemployment/Jobs 22 17 24 24 21 24 Cost of living 4 3 5 4 2 6 High cost Electricity - - - - 1 - Cities/Urban decay 5 3 4 6 6 4 Taxes 18 23 15 16 19 17 State income tax 16 26 10 15 17 15 Sales tax 2 1 2 1 1 2 Gas tax 14 15 13 13 15 13 Local property tax 11 13 10 10 13 10 Budget/Deficit 1 2 1 1 2 1 Government spending - 2 - - 1 - Spending priorities 1 1 1 1 1 1 Poverty/Homelessness 2 2 3 2 2 3 Housing costs/ Availability 2 1 3 2 1 2 Overcrowding 1 2 - - - 1 Welfare 7 7 8 7 6 9 Class inequality/ Income disparity 1 - 2 1 1 1 Middle/Working class ref. - - - 1 - 1 Immigration - - - - 1 - Lack of ethics/Morality/ Responsibility 1 2 - 1 1 1 Family breakdown/ Family values 1 2 3 1 1 2 Child abuse/Neglect - - - 1 - 1 Children's issues 3 1 4 3 1 4 Healthcare/Costs/Ins 4 1 5 4 1 6 Abortion - 1 - - 1 - Elderly 1 - 2 2 - 2 Education 26 24 28 27 21 30 Desegregation of schools/Busing 1 1 1 1 1 1 College tuition - - - 1 1 - Funding public schools 1 2 2 1 2 1 Environment/Pollution 4 3 5 5 5 4 Casinos 1 2 1 2 1 2 Racism/Race relations 1 - 1 1 1 1 Lack of mass transit/ Public trans. 1 - 2 1 1 1 Traffic 1 1 - - 1 1 Auto insurance - - 1 - - 1 Roads/Highways 5 4 5 6 7 4 Politicians/Government 1 2 1 1 2 1 Political corruption 1 1 1 - 1 - Clinton administration - 1 - - - - Other 5 5 5 5 6 4 DK/NA 6 8 6 4 5 6 18. And what do you think is the most important problem facing Connecticut today? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Crime/Violence 7% 8% 5% 7% 6% 7% Drugs 3 1 3 3 3 3 Youth crime/ Violence/Gangs 1 - 1 1 - 1 Guns/Gun control - - 1 - - 1 Criminal justice system - 1 - - 1 - Economy 12 15 11 12 13 12 Unemployment/Jobs 11 9 13 11 11 11 Cost of living 3 2 2 3 1 4 Cities/Urban decay 2 - 2 3 2 2 Taxes 10 13 8 9 14 7 State income tax 3 6 2 3 4 3 Sales tax - - - 1 1 - Gas tax 3 4 2 3 4 1 Local property tax 2 2 3 3 2 3 Poverty/Homelessness 1 1 1 1 - 1 Welfare 3 2 2 3 2 4 Class inequality/ Income disparity 1 - 2 1 1 - Middle/Working class ref. - - 1 - - - Immigration - 1 - - 1 - Lack of ethics/Morality/ Responsibility 1 2 - 1 2 - Family breakdown/ Family values - 1 - - - - Child abuse/Neglect - - - - - - Children's issues 2 1 2 1 1 2 Healthcare/Costs/Ins 2 - 3 2 2 2 Abortion - - - - 1 - Education 14 12 18 13 11 16 Funding public schools 1 - 1 1 1 1 Environment/Pollution 1 2 1 1 2 1 Casinos 1 1 - 1 - 1 Traffic 1 - 1 1 1 1 Roads/Highways 1 - 2 1 1 - Politicians/Government 1 - 1 1 1 - Other 2 2 1 2 2 2 DK/NA 9 9 9 9 7 12 19. Regardless of how you intend to vote, who do you think would do a better job handling that problem, John Rowland or Barbara Kennelly? Most important problem Tot Economy Taxes Education Rowland 45% 52% 56% 39% Kennelly 28 27 22 41 DK/NA/No problems 27 21 23 20 20. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Governor Rowland is handling the state budget? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Approve 56% 74% 45% 55% 62% 51% 56% Disapprove 30 12 39 33 26 33 29 DK/NA 15 14 17 12 12 17 15 21. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Governor Rowland is handling crime? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Approve 56% 69% 46% 57% 65% 49% 60% Disapprove 28 13 40 28 21 34 25 DK/NA 16 18 14 15 14 17 15 22. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Governor Rowland is handling the economy? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Approve 62% 78% 50% 62% 67% 56% 64% Disapprove 29 16 39 29 25 32 28 DK/NA 10 6 11 9 8 11 8 23. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Governor Rowland is handling education? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Approve 45% 59% 35% 44% 47% 43% 49% Disapprove 41 26 53 40 38 43 38 DK/NA 15 15 11 16 15 15 12 24. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Governor Rowland is handling welfare and the poor? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 49% 64% 35% 50% 54% 45% Disapprove 33 13 50 32 30 36 DK/NA 18 22 14 18 16 19 25. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Governor Rowland is handling the environment? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Approve 49% 63% 39% 48% 52% 46% 50% Disapprove 27 13 37 28 26 27 27 DK/NA 24 24 23 24 22 27 23 26. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Governor Rowland is handling taxes? Feb 18 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998 Approve 39% 55% 28% 39% 43% 36% 41% Disapprove 56 41 68 56 53 59 53 DK/NA 5 4 4 5 5 5 6 27a.(If approve of Rowland's handling of taxes) Being as specific as you can, what is the main reason why you approve of the way he is handling taxes? Approve of Rowland's handling of taxes Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Lowered/Trying to lower Taxes 40% 48% 32% 39% 47% 33% Lowered/Trying to lower Gas Tax 10 9 11 9 9 11 Lowered/Trying to lower Income Tax 8 10 8 6 9 6 Lowered/Trying to lower Property Tax 2 1 - 3 1 2 Tax rebate/Giving surplus back to people 7 6 8 8 5 9 Spending priorities 3 1 1 5 2 4 Reduce spending/ Lower budget 5 4 4 5 6 3 Taxes haven't gone up 7 4 12 6 6 7 Other 7 8 7 6 5 9 DK/NA 13 9 16 12 9 17 27b.(If disapprove of Rowland's handling of taxes) Being as specific as you can, what is the main reason why you disapprove of the way he is handling taxes? Disapprove of Rowland's handling of taxes Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Taxes to high/ Not lowered enough 36% 39% 36% 34% 33% 39% Gas tax too high 7 3 8 7 8 6 Income tax too high 13 18 13 13 15 11 Property tax too high 5 1 5 7 6 4 Tax rebate/Should not give surplus back 2 1 3 3 2 2 Spending priorities 8 9 7 8 8 8 Raising spending/ Budget increase 1 1 1 - - 1 Disparity of taxes between classes 4 - 6 3 4 4 Hasn't kept promise/Lack of honesty/Campaign tactic 11 16 8 12 13 10 Other 7 6 6 9 8 7 DK/NA 7 7 8 5 4 9 35. Do you think Bill Clinton can be trusted to keep his word as President, or not? Nov 1 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1996 Yes trusted 48% 23% 71% 47% 44% 52% 38% No not trusted 46 73 23 47 51 41 54 DK/NA 6 4 5 6 5 7 8 36. Do you think Bill Clinton cares about the needs and problems of families or not? Nov 1 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1996 Yes 75% 57% 90% 75% 69% 80% 78% No 22 42 8 22 28 17 18 DK/NA 2 1 2 3 2 3 4 37. Compared to most people in public life, do you think Bill Clinton has more honesty and integrity, less honesty and integrity, or about the same amount? Nov 1 Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1996 More honesty, integrity 7% 2% 11% 6% 7% 7% 11% Less honesty, integrity 38 68 14 40 43 34 34 About the same amount 52 29 73 51 48 56 52 DK/NA 3 - 3 3 2 3 2 38. Do you think Bill Clinton shares the moral values most Americans try to live by, or doesn't he? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes shares values 38% 18% 61% 35% 36% 39% No doesn't share values 55 79 29 59 57 52 DK/NA 8 3 10 7 7 8
