Connecticut (CT) Poll * February 19, 2004 * Rowland Can Not Govern Effecti - Quinnipiac University

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February 19, 2004 - Rowland Can Not Govern Effectively, Connecticut Voters Tell Quinnipiac University Poll; Governor's Admissions Are Enough To Remove Him

By a 71 - 25 percent margin, Connecticut voters say Gov. John Rowland has lost the ability to govern effectively, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
The Governor should resign, voters say 67 - 27 percent, compared to 68 - 23 percent in a January 21 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University. For the first time, there is a slight Republican majority, 51 - 38 percent, who say Rowland should resign.
The State Legislature should impeach and remove Rowland, voters say 55 - 33 percent, compared to 56 - 33 percent for removal January 21.
Even if he is not charged formally with a crime, Connecticut voters say 54 - 39 percent that Rowland's actions are enough to remove him from office.
Rowland's negative 24 - 69 percent approval rating has not changed in a month.
"Except for further erosion in his Republican base, there has been little shift in the sentiment that Gov. Rowland should resign or be removed. Connecticut voters say Rowland should be removed, even if he is not charged formally with a crime. And voters say 58 - 37 percent that his refusal to resign is hurting state government," said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D.
From February 15 - 17, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,202 Connecticut registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percent. The Quinnipiac University Poll conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and the nation as a public service and for research.
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way John Rowland is handling his job as Governor?
App Dis DK/NA Feb 19, 2004 24 69 7 Jan 21, 2004 24 68 8 Jan 7, 2004 28 62 9 Dec 17, 2003 30 61 8 Nov 21, 2003 37 52 12 Oct 9, 2003 35 55 10 Jul 31, 2003 31 58 11 Apr 30, 2003 33 54 13 Mar 13,2003 33 57 10 Oct 2, 2002 58 31 11 Jul 31, 2002 54 32 14 May 23, 2002 63 24 13 Feb 14, 2002 65 21 14 Dec 19, 2001 78 14 8 Apr 19, 2001 70 20 10 Feb 21, 2001 66 20 14 Jul 20, 2000 68 23 10 Jun 21, 2000 66 23 10 Apr 13, 2000 66 23 11 Feb 18, 2000 67 22 11 Oct 14, 1999 63 25 12 Jun 24, 1999 67 26 7 May 4, 1999 63 26 11 Oct 21, 1998 76 17 7 Oct 1, 1998 75 17 9 Jun 24, 1998 69 23 8 Apr 1, 1998 69 23 8 Feb 18, 1998 71 21 7 Nov 19, 1997 61 30 8 Oct 8, 1997 61 32 8 Jul 16, 1997 56 34 10 Feb 25, 1997 63 28 8 Nov 1, 1996 60 26 14 Oct 6, 1996 61 25 14 Jul 3, 1996 56 30 14 Mar 27, 1996 51 34 15
TREND: Would you say that John Rowland has strong leadership qualities or not?
Yes No DK/NA Feb 19, 2004 41 53 6 Jan 21, 2004 45 47 8 Jan 7, 2004 47 47 7 Dec 17, 2003 49 45 6 Nov 21, 2003 56 38 7 Oct 9, 2003 54 41 6 Jul 31, 2003 50 44 5 Apr 30, 2003 53 39 9 Mar 13, 2003 59 36 6 Jul 31, 2002 73 19 7 Feb 14, 2002 79 14 7 Jun 24, 1998 73 21 5
TREND: Would you say that John Rowland is honest and trustworthy or not?
Yes No DK/NA Feb 19, 2004 10 84 6 Jan 21, 2004 11 83 7 Jan 7, 2004 13 79 8 Dec 17, 2003 18 73 10 Nov 21, 2003 37 52 11 Oct 9, 2003 36 55 10 Jul 31, 2003 37 51 13 Apr 30, 2003 40 46 14 Mar 13, 2003 45 43 11 Jul 31, 2002 58 31 11 Feb 14, 2002 65 21 14 Jun 24, 1998 56 30 14
TREND: Governor Rowland apologized for providing incorrect information about who paid for renovations at his Bantam Lake cottage. How much have you heard or read about this? A lot, some, only a little, or nothing at all?
Alot Some Little None DK/NA Feb 19, 2004 56 31 10 2 - Jan 21, 2004 55 31 11 2 - Jan 7, 2004 49 35 15 1 1 Dec 17, 2003 36 36 18 9 1
TREND: Do you think Governor Rowland should or should not resign from office?
Should ShldNot DK/NA Feb 19, 2004 67 27 6 Jan 21, 2004 68 23 9 Jan 7, 2004 56 34 10 Dec 17, 2003 44 45 11
TREND: Based on what you know, do you think the state legislature should or should not impeach John Rowland and remove him from office?
Should ShldNot DK/NA Feb 19, 2004 55 33 13 Jan 21, 2004 56 33 10 Jan 7, 2004 42 46 12
1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way John Rowland is handling his job as Governor?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Approve 24% 38% 13% 23% 31% 17% 16% Disapprove 69 54 82 67 63 75 78 DK/NA 7 8 5 10 6 8 6 MdlSex Toll,Wndm Fairfld Hrtford Ltchfld NewHvn NewLon Approve 23% 25% 38% 22% 20% Disapprove 68 67 55 71 77 DK/NA 9 8 8 7 4
2. Would you say that John Rowland has strong leadership qualities or not?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Yes 41% 58% 32% 38% 46% 37% 38% No 53 38 62 55 50 56 60 DK/NA 6 5 6 7 5 7 1 MdlSex Toll,Wndm Fairfld Hrtford Ltchfld NewHvn NewLon Yes 44% 38% 61% 39% 39% No 47 56 38 56 55 DK/NA 9 5 1 5 5
3. Would you say that John Rowland is honest and trustworthy or not?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Yes 10% 16% 5% 11% 11% 9% 9% No 84 73 92 83 82 85 90 DK/NA 6 11 4 6 6 6 2 MdlSex Toll,Wndm Fairfld Hrtford Ltchfld NewHvn NewLon Yes 8% 11% 18% 9% 9% No 82 83 79 85 87 DK/NA 9 6 3 5 4
4. Governor Rowland apologized for providing incorrect information about who paid for renovations at his Bantam Lake cottage. How much have you heard or read about this? A lot, some, only a little, or nothing at all?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds A lot 56% 50% 59% 58% 59% 54% 64% Some 31 37 30 29 31 31 26 Only a little 10 10 10 11 7 12 6 None at all 2 3 1 1 2 2 4 DK/NA - - - 1 - - - MdlSex Toll,Wndm Fairfld Hrtford Ltchfld NewHvn NewLon A lot 52% 55% 46% 63% 58% Some 40 27 35 27 31 Only a little 6 13 15 9 11 None at all 2 4 1 2 - DK/NA - - 2 - -
5. Do you think Governor Rowland should or should not resign from office?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Yes/Resign 67% 51% 81% 66% 64% 69% 76% No/Should not 27 38 16 28 31 23 18 DK/NA 6 11 4 6 4 8 6 MdlSex Toll,Wndm Fairfld Hrtford Ltchfld NewHvn NewLon Yes/Resign 70% 66% 50% 67% 72% No/Should not 25 29 44 25 21 DK/NA 5 5 6 7 7
6. Based on what you know, do you think the state legislature should or should not impeach John Rowland and remove him from office?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Yes/Impeach 55% 41% 67% 52% 53% 56% 63% No/Should not 33 45 22 35 37 29 26 DK/NA 13 14 11 13 11 14 11 MdlSex Toll,Wndm Fairfld Hrtford Ltchfld NewHvn NewLon Yes/Impeach 54% 55% 47% 54% 59% No/Should not 34 33 44 32 28 DK/NA 13 11 9 14 13
7. Based upon what you know about Governor Rowland's accepting gifts and lying about it, do you think that is enough to remove him from office, even if he is not formally charged with a crime?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Yes/Remove 54% 38% 67% 54% 51% 58% 65% No/Not enough 39 56 28 40 45 35 32 DK/NA 6 6 5 7 4 8 3 MdlSex Toll,Wndm Fairfld Hrtford Ltchfld NewHvn NewLon Yes/Remove 57% 49% 45% 54% 63% No/Not enough 37 45 53 38 30 DK/NA 5 6 2 7 7
8. Governor Rowland has refused to resign. Do you think this is hurting or not hurting the ability of the state of Connecticut to conduct its business as usual?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Yes/Hurting 58% 48% 67% 56% 54% 62% 64% No/Not hurting 37 47 30 37 40 34 33 DK/NA 5 5 3 7 6 4 3 MdlSex Toll,Wndm Fairfld Hrtford Ltchfld NewHvn NewLon Yes/Hurting 62% 60% 48% 55% 59% No/Not hurting 32 34 49 42 33 DK/NA 6 6 3 3 7
9. Do you think Governor Rowland has lost his ability to be an effective leader or not?
Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Yes 71% 60% 77% 72% 68% 74% 79% No 25 36 19 25 30 21 21 DK/NA 4 4 4 3 3 4 1 MdlSex Toll,Wndm Fairfld Hrtford Ltchfld NewHvn NewLon Yes 70% 72% 48% 77% 69% No 26 26 49 19 25 DK/NA 4 2 3 4 6