A new Quinnipiac survey holds some good news for Virginia Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell. He has a 53-26 percent job approval rating, one of the highest in any of the seven states polled.
According to Quinnipiac University, women approve of McDonnell 48-26 percent, while men approve 59-27 percent. White voters approve 58-25 percent, while black voters approve 41-32 percent. And young voters, ages 18 to 34, approve 48-44 percent.
But it's not all good: McDonnell has a disapproval rate of 43-34 percent, with Democrats.
Still: “He is the only Republican office-holder in the seven states surveyed by Quinnipiac University who get positive ratings from women, almost 2-1 in this case, and a plus score from black voters," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "A 2-1 approval rating among young voters doesn’t hurt.”
Other polls:
On the question of how to pay for better roads, voters vastly prefer tolls to gas tax hikes 56-32 percent -- though they don't like the idea of using tolls to pay for road repairs, opposing 57-38 percent.
Year-round public schools are unpopular, with Virginia voters opposing them 51-43 percent.
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Making it easier to fire public school teachers is popular, at 49-42 percent. Republicans are more likely to support that initiative, however, at 63-31 percent. Democrats oppose it, 60-31 percent. Indemendents support it, 54-37 percent.
And McDonnell isn't the only member of state government getting approval -- the state legislature enjoys a 44-35 percent approval rate. Though it's not popular with Democrats or black voters. They disapprove 45-35 percent and 39-38 percent, respectively.
