Ohio Poll: Only 34% approval for Taft

The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that a new statewide poll shows Taft's disapproval rating is the highest of any governor since the Ohio Poll began evaluating the state's chief executives 24 years ago.

From the story:

Released Friday, the latest poll found 55 percent of adults interviewed disapprove of Taft's performance; 43 percent disapproved 14 months ago.

Just 34 percent of those surveyed said they approve of the job the Republican governor is doing - his lowest rating since taking office in January 1999. Only one governor, Democrat Richard Celeste, had lower marks.

A 1983 survey showed Celeste with a 32 percent favorable rating. Support for Celeste plummeted after he persuaded legislators to adopt a 90 percent increase in the personal income tax. Taft's poor showing, however, comes as he promotes across-the-board income tax cuts.

Eric Rademacher, who conducted the survey on behalf of the University of Cincinnati's Institute for Policy Research, is quoted as saying “it really is difficult to find any positives in this Ohio Poll for Gov. Taft. Even among those identifying themselves with his party, his [favorable] rating is still under 50 percent.”

Why is it, then, that the Republican caucus is still afraid to do the right thing for Ohioans in the General Assembly, even if it means a veto override? Why does Taft still have enough clout to have killed an amendment to House Bill 9 – legislation that deals with how records are released to the public - that would have closed the Media Access Loophole and protected, once and for all, CHL-holders’ private information, simply by threatening a veto?

In 2003, the answer was obvious – then-President Doug White said term-limited Senators like himself were looking for "life after the legislature" – job appointments from Taft. They were trading their votes for a chance at a cushy state post. White got his appoinment.

But the situation now is much different. When the next round of term-limits hits, it’s not just certain Senators and Representatives who will be jobless – it’ll be Bob Taft. For most Ohioans, according to this poll, that day cannot come soon enough.