A Governing survey of 151 senior public officials found 62 percent reported the Obama administration’s policies supported their governments, with 14 percent somewhat disagreeing and 21 percent strongly disagreeing.
By contrast, only 29 percent said the Republican-controlled House and Democratic-held Senate support their state or local government. Forty-three percent of respondents somewhat disagreed Congress was helping their cause while 25 percent strongly disagreed.
The survey, conducted in July and August, measured a range of attitudes of Governing Exchange research community members.
Fifty-four percent of surveyed officials approved of the president’s job performance. That’s slightly higher than the 50 percent of U.S. adults approving of Obama in Gallup’s approval ratings last week. The president’s rating stood in the mid to high 40s during the time when Governing surveyed officials, with the question worded identically to the Gallup survey.
More officials also said their own state or locality was headed in the right direction (51 percent) than the nation as a whole (41 percent).
Governing will post updated results from a subsequent survey to be conducted after the election later this year.
Complete Survey Results
Governing’s research division conducted the survey July - August 2012, among a random sample of 151 senior state and local government officials.
Participants received invites via e-mail and completed the survey online. The survey was conducted using our proprietary Governing Exchange research community. The results cannot be projected to the entire population of government workers. Our group, for example, did not include rank-and-file police officers and teachers.
The President and his administration's policies support your government.
Strongly Agree 16%
Somewhat Agree 46%
Somewhat Disagree 14%
Strongly Disagree 21%
Don't Know 4%
Policies enacted/supported by the current U.S. Congress support the government for which you are employed.
Strongly Agree 3%
Somewhat Agree 26%
Somewhat Disagree 43%
Strongly Disagree 25%
Don't Know 2%
I have confidence in the elected officials leading my jurisdiction.
Strongly Agree 16%
Somewhat Agree 51%
Somewhat Disagree 18%
Strongly Disagree 15%
Don't Know 1%
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President?
Approve 54%
Disapprove 36%
No opinion 10%
Would you say the country is headed in the right direction or has it gotten off on the wrong track?
Right Direction 41%
Wrong Track 49%
Don't Know 10%
Would you say your state or locality is headed in the right direction or has it gotten off on the wrong track?
Right Direction 51%
Wrong Track 42%
Don't Know 7%
Which issue, from the list below, will play the largest role in the 2012 elections?
Jobs/Economy 79%
Health care reform 9%
Entitlement program debate 5%
Foreign relations/policy 0%
Personal character of the candidates 5%
Other 3%
Want to share your thoughts? Click the buttons to share a new opinion, or vote for an existing opinion by clicking the associated icons:
