Thursday, May 26, 2011
12:13 PM
PPP: Obama's approval ratings up, leads top GOP contenders
President Barack Obama's approval rating in Wisconsin has ticked up over the last few months, and he has sizable leads on several of his possible GOP opponents, according to a new poll from the Dem firm Public Policy Polling.
The survey found 52 percent of Wisconsin voters surveyed approved of Obama's job performance, while 44 percent disapproved. His approval rating split with independents is 50-43. In February, the split was 49-45.
The president led Mitt Romney 51-39 in the latest survey, Newt Gingrich 53-35 and Sarah Palin 55-36. Part of that might be due to the unfavorable impression Wisconsin voters have of the three Republicans. Romney's favorability split was 29-49, Gringrich's 15-67 and Palin's 32-63.
Paul Ryan, who has said he will not run for president next year, polled best against the president, but still trailed 50-43.
The poll also found Ryan's numbers have dropped in the state since December, when 38 percent have a favorable impression of him, while 30 percent did not. Now, 41 percent approve of him, while 46 percent disapprove.
The poll found much of that drop was due to Dems taking a more negative view of him, while Republicans have rallied behind him and independents were split.
PPP surveyed 1,636 Wisconsin voters May 19-22 through automated phone calls. The margin of error was plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.
Read the polling memo.
-- By JR Ross
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