Gov. Jack Markell's (D) approval ratings have dropped significantly over the past year and a half, now standing just below 50 percent.
Last September, a University of Delaware poll found 55 percent of Delawareans viewed Markell favorably. But new figures from Public Policy Polling out of Raleigh, North Carolina show that number dipped slightly to 49 percent – with 19 percent strongly approving of his job performance and 30 percent somewhat approving of it.
That’s a large skid from a similar UD poll conducted September 2013 where 62 percent of state residents approved of Markell.
The governor has put forth several controversial measures during that time. His Priority Schools plan sparked fierce backlash from the Christina and Red Clay School Districts, while last year's gas tax proposal fell flat with state lawmakers and voters alike.
The most recent poll conducted last week found that approval of Delaware’s General Assembly tracked a bit higher at 52 percent.
A higher number of Delawareans also view President Barack Obama positively than the nation as a whole at 52 percent. The most recent Gallup Poll shows than number across America is 46 percent.
The Public Policy Polling report surveyed nearly 575 residents, 48 percent Democrats, 30 percent Republicans and 23 Independents with a margin of error at 4.1 percent. The poll was commissioned by the Delaware Center for Justice to gauge public opinion in Delaware regarding the death penalty.