New York Times poll measures voters' approval rating of state governors

The Washington State Labor Council’s The Stand passes along findings from the New York Times’ analysis of polls measuring voters’ approval ratings of their respective state’s governors. No. 1 on the list was Maine’s Gov. Paul LePage who removed a mural dedicated to state workers because he thought it looked too “Communist.” Some 56 percent of Maine’s voters disapproved of his job performance.

No. 3 on the list was Wisconsin’s Gov. Scott Walker, whose attack on his public employees’ collective bargaining rights sparked worldwide outrage – and upcoming recall elections for several of his supporters in the state Senate. He came in with a disapproval rating of 54 percent.

So that’s who was No. 1 and No. 3 on the least popular governor’s list.

You might ask who was No. 2 on the list, sandwiched between the 1950s Red-baiting governor of Maine and Gov. Walker of Wisconsin. Well, it’s our governor, Gov. Chris Gregoire, according to the New York Times’ analysis. She comes in with a disapproval rating of 55 percent and a job approval rating of 38 percent.

Again, we place no value judgment on this item in the news. Our governor is not running for re-election – and she is apparently one of so far only two elected officials voluntarily taking a 3 percent pay cut.

You can see more on this story at The Stand: http://www.thestand.org/2011/07/gregoire-among-least-popular-governors-in-u-s/