Governor Dannel Malloy remains unpopular in Connecticut, according to a new poll. His approval rating is at 43 percent while his disapproval rating is at 47 percent.
Even members of his own party are lukewarm in their support of Malloy. The Quinnipiac University Poll called his 64 percent approval among Democrats "anemic."
"Gov. Dannel Malloy starts his second term in the hole. It is the first time he has been in negative territory since a June 2012 poll," said Poll Director Douglas Schwartz in a written statement.
It is the first poll released by Quinnipiac since Malloy entered his second term in office.
His approval numbers are below 50 percent among young voters and women too. Schwartz says that when a a Democrat faces those numbers, "you know he's in trouble." Malloy's approval number among independent voters is 36 percent, with 54 percent disapproval.
This isn't the worst that Malloy has fared in polls though. In March, 2011, his approval rating was a dismal 35 percent. His highest numbers came less than a year ago when he hit 48 percent.
The common refrain from Malloy's office to previous polls has been, "Polls come and go, numbers go up and down."
One area of success for Malloy this time around is his response to snowstorms. As the snow begins melting in Connecticut, 85 percent of voters approve of his handling of this season’s winter weather. Even 73 percent of Republicans gave Malloy a thumbs up.
More Casinos in Connecticut?
One day after state lawmakersproposed to allow more casinos in Connecticut, the newly released Quinnipiac Poll finds few residents who agree.
The poll, released Wednesday, said 75 percent of voters oppose additional casinos. However, 62 percent do believe the current gambling system is good for Connecticut.
The state’s existing casinos face declining revenues ahead of increased competition from neighboring states, including one in Springfield, Massachusetts. Leaders from Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun joined lawmakers at the Capitol on Tuesday to announce support for more smaller casinos near Connecticut’s borders.
Even if these new proposed facilities are not as massive as the casinos Connecticut is used to, 59 percent of voters oppose them.
