Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's approval rating is showing signs of recovery after tumbling late last year, according to a poll released Thursday. The new poll from the Public Policy Institute of California found Schwarzenegger's job approval among likely voters climbed from 38 percent in October to 45 percent in January.
The poll is good news for the governor, who faces a tough re-election campaign this year. But the rebound is modest compared to where he was a year ago, when he enjoyed a 60 percent approval rating among voters. "The governor's standing has improved among Democrats and independents but he's still not to the point where he needs to be as a Republican running for governor in California," said Mark Baldassare, the institute's poll director.
The recovery comes on the heels of his proposed record $125.6 billion (Ђ102 billion) budget and a $222 billion (Ђ181 billion) public works improvement plan. The budget offers offers billions of new dollars for schools and public health programs, and his building plan proposes to upgrade roads, waterways and flood systems without raising taxes.
Schwarzenegger's popularity sunk last year as voters overwhelmingly rejected his "year of reform" ballot measures in the November special election. Since then the governor has tried to boost support, especially among Democrats and independent voters, who form the majority of California voters. The institute surveyed 1,193 likely voters during the eight-day period ending Jan. 18. The poll had a sampling error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points, reports the AP. N.U.
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