March 15, 2012 - Pennsylvania Governor's Approval Tanks, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Oppose Cuts To State Schools, Ultrasound Bill Word format Pennsylvania voters give Gov. Tom Corbett a 41 - 41 percent job approval rating, down from a 47 - 34 percent approval rating December 8, a drop driven mostly by Democrats and men more than women, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. This is Gov. Corbett's worst approval rating since a 39 - 38 percent score in a June 14, 2011, survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University. Women give Corbett a split 38 - 39 percent approval rating, down from 44 - 36 percent December 8. Men approve 45 - 42 percent, down from 51 - 32 percent. Democrats give the governor a negative 23 - 65 percent score, compared to a negative 36 - 43 percent December 8. Pennsylvania voters disapprove 49 - 36 percent of the way Corbett is handling the state budget and disapprove 53 - 27 percent of the way he is handling funding for the state's public universities. Men disapprove of his handling of university funding 49 - 35 percent while women disapprove 56 - 21 percent. Voters oppose 65 - 28 percent cutting funding for public universities, with 72 - 20 percent disapproval among women and 58 - 36 percent disapproval from men. "After a honeymoon as one of the country's more popular new Republican governors, Tom Corbett takes a big hit in his job approval," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "A call for cuts in state funding to its universities may have hit a nerve with parents fearful tuitions could rise." Pennsylvania voters are divided 45 - 47 percent whether they agree with Corbett's claim that universities can manage the cuts by reducing operating costs rather than raising tuition. A total of 80 percent of voters are "very concerned" or "somewhat concerned" that tuition increases in public universities would make them unaffordable to some students. Among Pennsylvania voters, 21 percent say someone in their family currently attends a public university in the state and 54 percent say someone in their family has graduated from one of these schools. Ultrasound/Abortion Legislation There is a reverse gender gap as voters oppose 48 - 42 percent legislation that would require a woman seeking an abortion to undergo an ultrasound at least 24 hours before the procedure. Men oppose the measure 51 - 39 percent, while women are divided 45 - 45 percent. Voters with a college degree are opposed 57 - 35 percent while voters without a degree are divided 45 - 44 percent. Voters oppose trans-vaginal ultrasounds 64 - 23 percent, with men opposed 67 - 18 percent and women opposed 61 - 28 percent. A total of 54 percent of voters say abortion should be legal in all or most cases while 37 percent say it should be illegal in all or most cases. "A plurality of Pennsylvania voters oppose requiring pregnant women seeking abortions to get ultrasounds 24 hours before an abortion, with men opposing the measure in greater numbers," Malloy said. "Voters, men and women, are strongly opposed - almost 3-1 - to requiring women to undergo trans-vaginal ultrasounds." From March 7 - 12, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,256 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia and the nation as a public service and for research. For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter. 14. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Tom Corbett is handling his job as Governor? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 41% 61% 23% 46% 45% 38% Disapprove 41 18 65 36 42 39 DK/NA 18 21 12 18 13 23 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K 18-49 50-64 65+ Approve 40% 42% 37% 40% 45% 46% 39% 40% 47% Disapprove 49 37 44 41 43 37 39 47 37 DK/NA 11 21 18 19 12 18 22 13 16 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Tom Corbett is handling his job as Governor? (*Low also 39% Apr 2011, Feb 2011) APPROVE....... High Low Mar 15 Dec 08 Nov 10 Sep 29 Aug 03 Sep 29 Jun 14 2012 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011* Approve 41 47 46 50 44 50 39 Disapprove 41 34 31 32 36 32 38 DK/NA 18 19 23 18 20 18 23 15. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 29% 41% 22% 24% 30% 28% Disapprove 54 41 63 60 57 52 DK/NA 17 18 15 16 13 20 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K 18-49 50-64 65+ Approve 29% 28% 25% 26% 33% 34% 30% 26% 30% Disapprove 56 54 59 55 53 54 53 62 50 DK/NA 15 18 16 19 14 13 17 12 20 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job? (*Low also 25% Dec 2009) APPROVE....... High Low Mar 15 Sep 29 Aug 03 Jun 14 Jul 13 Apr 10 May 13 2012 2011 2011 2011 2010 2003 2010* Approve 29 31 34 32 28 49 25 Disapprove 54 54 50 50 57 24 59 DK/NA 17 16 16 18 15 27 16 19. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in Pennsylvania today; are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very satisfied 3% 4% 2% 3% 4% 2% Smwht satisfied 40 49 37 36 39 42 Smwht dissatisfied 38 32 41 39 38 37 Very dissatisfied 19 15 20 22 19 19 DK/NA - - - - - - COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K 18-49 50-64 65+ Very satisfied 4% 2% 2% 1% 4% 3% 3% 2% 3% Smwht satisfied 39 41 38 41 37 43 42 33 46 Smwht dissatisfied 41 36 34 39 40 41 38 39 32 Very dissatisfied 16 20 25 18 19 12 17 24 17 DK/NA - 1 - - - - - 1 1 TREND: In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in Pennsylvania today; are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied? VERY+SMWHT SAT High Low Mar 15 Sep 29 Aug 03 Jun 14 Apr 27 Jun 05 Dec 15 2012 2011 2011 2011 2011 2002 2010 Very satisfied 3 2 3 2 2 8 2 Smwht satisfied 40 41 38 37 37 60 35 Smwht dissatisfied 38 37 36 38 33 22 37 Very dissatisfied 19 19 22 22 26 8 25 DK/NA - 1 1 1 1 3 1 33. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Tom Corbett is handling the state budget? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 36% 54% 18% 37% 42% 30% Disapprove 49 30 70 46 47 51 DK/NA 15 16 12 16 11 18 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K 18-49 50-64 65+ Approve 36% 36% 29% 38% 36% 46% 36% 32% 40% Disapprove 55 47 51 49 54 43 51 55 43 DK/NA 9 17 20 13 10 12 13 13 18 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Tom Corbett is handling the state budget? Mar 15 Sep 29 Aug 03 Jun 14 Apr 27 2012 2011 2011 2011 2011 Approve 36 40 41 33 35 Disapprove 49 45 45 52 52 DK/NA 15 16 14 15 13 34. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Tom Corbett is handling the issue of state funding for Pennsylvania's public universities? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 27% 44% 12% 29% 35% 21% Disapprove 53 33 73 48 49 56 DK/NA 20 23 14 23 17 23 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K 18-49 50-64 65+ Approve 28% 27% 25% 27% 28% 31% 26% 27% 31% Disapprove 59 50 52 55 56 51 52 56 50 DK/NA 13 23 23 18 16 18 22 17 20 PA PUBLIC UNIVERSITY....... HAVE KIDS<18 GRAD Q38.. ATTENDING Q39 Yes No Yes No Yes No Approve 29% 27% 29% 26% 21% 29% Disapprove 50 54 57 47 61 50 DK/NA 21 20 14 27 18 21 35. To help balance the state budget, do you support or oppose cutting funding for Pennsylvania's public universities? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 28% 44% 11% 30% 36% 20% Oppose 65 47 83 63 58 72 DK/NA 7 9 6 7 6 8 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K 18-49 50-64 65+ Support 29% 27% 21% 31% 30% 32% 26% 30% 27% Oppose 66 65 67 61 68 64 68 67 60 DK/NA 5 8 12 8 2 5 6 3 13 PA PUBLIC UNIVERSITY....... HAVE KIDS<18 GRAD Q38.. ATTENDING Q39 Yes No Yes No Yes No Support 29% 27% 29% 27% 21% 30% Oppose 65 65 64 66 73 63 DK/NA 6 8 8 6 6 7 36. Governor Corbett said Pennsylvania's public universities can deal with state funding cuts without increasing tuition by reducing campus operating costs. Do you agree or disagree? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Agree 45% 63% 28% 48% 51% 40% Disagree 47 29 65 45 42 52 DK/NA 8 8 7 7 7 8 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K 18-49 50-64 65+ Agree 43% 46% 40% 49% 44% 51% 42% 46% 50% Disagree 51 45 51 46 50 42 50 48 41 DK/NA 5 9 9 6 6 7 8 6 9 PA PUBLIC UNIVERSITY....... HAVE KIDS<18 GRAD Q38.. ATTENDING Q39 Yes No Yes No Yes No Agree 45% 45% 46% 45% 33% 49% Disagree 48 47 47 47 59 44 DK/NA 7 8 7 8 9 7 37. If tuition increases significantly at these institutions, how concerned are you that some students would not be able to afford to go to Pennsylvania's public universities; very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very concerned 51% 34% 65% 50% 44% 57% Somewhat concerned 29 34 27 29 31 28 Not too concerned 11 17 4 10 13 9 Not concerned at all 8 13 3 10 11 5 DK/NA 1 1 - 1 1 - COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K 18-49 50-64 65+ Very concerned 51% 50% 52% 50% 54% 47% 55% 51% 42% Somewhat concerned 30 29 32 28 26 31 26 28 39 Not too concerned 10 11 7 12 11 11 9 15 7 Not concerned at all 8 8 7 9 8 11 9 6 10 DK/NA - 1 1 - - - 1 1 1 PA PUBLIC UNIVERSITY....... HAVE KIDS<18 GRAD Q38.. ATTENDING Q39 Yes No Yes No Yes No Very concerned 56% 49% 50% 52% 59% 48% Somewhat concerned 25 32 29 29 24 31 Not too concerned 10 11 11 11 5 13 Not concerned at all 8 8 9 8 11 8 DK/NA 1 1 1 - 2 - 38. Have you or has anyone in your family graduated from a Pennsylvania public university? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 54% 55% 55% 51% 58% 49% No 45 45 44 48 41 50 DK/NA 1 - 1 1 1 1 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K 18-49 50-64 65+ Yes 66% 48% 41% 65% 58% 55% 48% 56% 60% No 34 51 56 35 42 45 51 43 40 DK/NA - 1 3 - - - 2 - - PA PUBLIC UNIVERSITY HAVE KIDS<18 ATTENDING Q39 Yes No Yes No Yes 48% 56% 59% 52% No 52 42 39 47 DK/NA - 1 1 1 39. Are you or is anyone in your family currently attending a Pennsylvania public university? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 21% 20% 22% 23% 19% 23% No 78 80 77 76 80 76 DK/NA 1 - - 1 1 1 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K 18-49 50-64 65+ Yes 18% 22% 28% 17% 21% 17% 24% 21% 19% No 81 77 71 82 77 82 75 78 81 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 - - PA PUBLIC UNIVERSITY HAVE KIDS<18 GRAD Q38.. Yes No Yes No Yes 22% 21% 23% 18% No 77 78 76 81 DK/NA 1 1 1 - 40. Do you think abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases or illegal in all cases? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Legal all cases 25% 12% 33% 31% 21% 29% Legal most cases 29 19 35 34 33 26 Illegal most cases 23 39 14 18 27 19 Illegal all cases 14 25 9 11 11 18 DK/NA 8 6 10 7 8 9 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K 18-49 50-64 65+ Legal all cases 30% 23% 21% 28% 24% 29% 30% 25% 17% Legal most cases 34 27 28 28 32 33 30 31 25 Illegal most cases 20 24 22 22 26 25 25 20 25 Illegal all cases 12 16 21 14 11 10 11 14 21 DK/NA 4 10 9 8 7 2 4 10 12 TREND: Do you think abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases or illegal in all cases? LEGAL ALL+MOST High Low Mar 15 Apr 06 Feb 13 Dec 13 Jul 13 Mar 18 Apr 06 2012 2006 2006 2005 2005 2003 2006 Legal all cases 25 17 17 18 16 23 17 Legal most cases 29 34 36 35 37 32 34 Illegal most cases 23 26 25 26 27 24 26 Illegal all cases 14 15 16 16 14 17 15 DK/NA 8 9 6 5 7 4 9 41. As you may know, the state legislature is considering a bill that would legally require women seeking an abortion to undergo an ultrasound at least 24 hours before the procedure. Do you support or oppose this bill? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 42% 58% 30% 37% 39% 45% Oppose 48 32 60 53 51 45 DK/NA 10 10 9 9 11 10 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K 18-49 50-64 65+ Support 35% 45% 46% 49% 36% 37% 44% 38% 44% Oppose 57 44 45 39 55 59 47 54 44 DK/NA 8 11 9 12 9 4 9 9 12 STAND ON ABORTION Q40 IN ALL or MOST CASES Legal Illegal Support 28% 66% Oppose 67 25 DK/NA 5 10 42. In most cases a trans-vaginal ultrasound would be required due to the early stage of pre abortion pregnancies. A trans-vaginal ultra sound requires vaginal insertion of a probe. Do you support or oppose legally requiring trans-vaginal ultrasounds before a woman can get an abortion? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 23% 38% 16% 16% 18% 28% Oppose 64 47 73 72 67 61 DK/NA 13 15 10 12 15 11 COLLEGE DEG ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... AGE IN YRS....... Yes No <30K 30-50 50-100 >100K 18-49 50-64 65+ Support 20% 24% 25% 23% 23% 25% 26% 20% 22% Oppose 70 61 65 60 68 69 66 67 57 DK/NA 10 14 10 17 10 6 8 13 20 STAND ON ABORTION Q40 IN ALL or MOST CASES Legal Illegal Support 13% 40% Oppose 81 44 DK/NA 7 15 Demographic Summary
