Ryan, McConnell fare worse than President Trump, who pleases about four in 10 

ST. LEO, FL – After a year in office, President Donald J. Trump and other top Republicans in the federal government are not impressing voters nationally or in Florida with the job they are doing, according to new results from the Saint Leo University Polling Institute (http://polls.saintleo.edu). Not even half of Americans think the GOP leaders are doing well, although Vice President Mike Pence had half of Floridians impressed during part of 2017.

The most recent survey was conducted February 18 through February 24 online among 1,007 respondents nationally. The margin of error for results is plus or minus 3 percentage points. The same survey was also answered by a parallel sample of 500 respondents in Florida, yielding a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.

To get a glimpse of how much of the public thinks politicians are doing a good job, the survey questionnaire names each of the current top four Republicans. The respondents are asked to indicate whether they strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove of the job each individual is doing. (Respondents can also say if they don’t know or are not sure.) The sum of the percentage answers from those who strongly approve or somewhat approve is a politician’s overall favorability rating.

“It’s remarkable how stable President Trump’s approval ratings have been since he was elected. He’s experienced a slight decline from the mid-40s to the low-40s, but it appears as though the public’s opinion of the president are baked-in more than we’ve seen ever before.”

Job performance and officeholder   Feb. 2018 – %U.S.     |    FL    Nov. 2017 – %U.S.     |    FL   Sept. 2017 – %U.S.      |   FL  March 2017 – %U.S.     |   FL
President Donald J. Trump 40.7 42.6 41.2 41.8 42.8 43 44.1 48.7
Vice President Mike Pence 42.4 46 44.1 46.4 44.2 50.7 45.5 50.5
U.S. Representative/ Speaker of the House Paul Ryan 35.2 42.2 36.3 39.8 33.3 40.5 42.4 47.5
U.S. Senator from Kentucky/ U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell 31.7 35 27 29.2 28.7 30.7  — —

 

About the Poll
METHODOLOGY: The poll sampled opinions of 1,007 adults approximately proportional to state population contribution nationwide. The survey was conducted February 18 through February 24, 2018. All surveys were conducted using an online survey instrument. The poll has a +/- 3.0 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level on a composite basis.

A sample of 500 Florida respondents has an associated margin of error of +/- 4.5 percent at a 95 percent confidence level.

The Saint Leo University Polling Institute conducts its surveys using cutting-edge online methodology, which is rapidly transforming the field of survey research. The sample is drawn from large online panels, which allow for random selections that reflect accurate cross sections of all demographic groups. Online methodology has the additional advantage of allowing participants to respond to the survey at a time, place, and speed that is convenient to them, which may result in more thoughtful answers. The Saint Leo University Polling Institute develops the questionnaires, administers the surveys, and conducts analysis of the results. Panel participants typically receive a token incentive—usually $1 deposited into an iTunes or Amazon account—for their participation.

The Saint Leo University Polling Institute survey results about national and Florida politics, public policy issues, Pope Francis’ popularity, and other topics, can also be found here: http://polls.saintleo.edu. You can also follow the institute on Twitter @saintleopolls.

 

Media contacts:
Jo-Ann Johnston, Saint Leo University, University Communications jo-ann.johnston@saintleo.edu or (352) 588-8237 or (352) 467-0843 (cell/text).
Mary McCoy, Saint Leo University, University Communications mary.mccoy02@saintleo.edu or (352) 588-7118 or (813) 610-8416 (cell/text).

 

About Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University (www.saintleo.edu) is a modern Catholic teaching university that is firmly grounded in the liberal arts tradition and the timeless Benedictine wisdom that seeks balanced growth of mind, body, and spirit. The Saint Leo University of today is a private, nonprofit institution that creates hospitable learning communities wherever students want to be or need to be, whether that is a campus classroom, a web-based environment, an employer’s worksite, a military base, or an office park. Saint Leo welcomes people of all faiths and of no religious affiliation, and encourages learners of all generations. The university is committed to providing educational opportunities to the nation’s armed forces, veterans, and their families. Saint Leo is regionally accredited to award degrees ranging from the associate to the doctorate, and the faculty and staff guide all students to develop their capacities for critical thinking, moral reflection, and lifelong learning and leadership.

The university remains the faithful steward of the beautiful lakeside University Campus in the Tampa Bay region of Florida, where its founding monks created the first Catholic college in the state in 1889. Serving more than 13,000 students, Saint Leo has expanded to downtown Tampa, to other sites in Florida and beyond, and maintains a physical presence in seven states. The university provides highly respected online learning programs to students nationally and internationally. More than 90,000 alumni reside in all 50 states, in Washington, DC, in three U.S. territories, and in 76 countries.