PA Likes Wolf, Not Trump

Written by John Cole, Managing Editor

Gov. Tom Wolf and President Donald Trump have very little in common. From their approach to governing and policy positions, it isn’t common to associate the two. According to a new Morning Consult poll, the second term Democratic Governor is coasting, while the President has work to do if he wants to retain the keystone state in 2020.

Nearly three years after securing a victory in Pennsylvania, President Donald Trump holds almost a negative net double digit approval rating in the state. Entering July, over half of those polled, 53%, disapprove of Trump, while 44% approve. His net approval rating has not fluctuated much throughout 2019, but since taking office, his net approval rating has decreased 19% in Pennsylvania.

The market research company also polled residents in all 50 states to determine the most and least popular Governors and Senators in the country at the end of Q2 in 2019. The rankings are determined by the total job approval number in descending order, rather than net approval.

Wolf still holds the highest approval rating among the three statewide elected officials polled and is the only one of the bunch in Pennsylvania in the top half among his peers in approval rating and approved by over half of the state. Wolf ended Q2 with a 53% approval rating, with 33% disapproving and 15% having no opinion. Wolf is tied for the 19th most popular Governor in the nation with Phil Bryant (R-MS). He maintains a 20 point net approval rating that he entered the year with.

Casey also boasts double digit net approval ratings, but sees his ranking among his peers slip from the beginning of the year. The senior Senator ended Q2 with a 44% approval rating, while 30% disapprove and 26% having no opinion. Going into 2019, Casey was tied as the 49th most popular Senator with neighboring Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH), but now is tied for 59th most popular Senator. Casey holds 14% net approval rating, while he began the year with a 17% net approval rating.

Toomey, who is the next statewide elected official polled of the group slated for reelection in 2022, narrowly holds a positive net approval rating. 39% approve of the junior Senator, while 35% disapprove, and 26% have no opinion. He began the year with a 3% net approval rating, but now carries a 4% net approval rating. This makes Toomey tied for the 88th most popular Senator.

July 18th, 2019 | Posted in Front Page Stories, Governor, Presidential, Top Stories | 5 Comments