Sunday, November 16, 1997
Governor has highest rating in more than a
decade
By STEVE RAY Scripps Howard Texas Poll Syndicate
Copyright 1997 Scripps Howard
Gov. George W. Bush has sustained the highest approval ratings
for a Texas governor in more than a decade, according to the Scripps
Howard Texas Poll.
Sixty-six percent of Texans approve of the job Bush is doing,
and 68 percent of registered voters say they plan to vote for
him in 1998.
"Those numbers are strong," Bush said. "But
I will take nothing for granted. I understand that people want
to hear my vision of the future for Texas. And I intend to start
talking about that on Dec. 3."
That's the date Bush is expected to announce that he will seek
re-election.
If the election were held today, Bush would win re-election
against Land Commissioner Garry Mauro, the probable Democratic
nominee, according to The Texas Poll.
Sixty-eight percent of registered voters support Bush, 16 percent
back Mauro, and 14 percent are undecided. Those numbers mirror
previous Texas Polls.
The race for lieutenant governor is much closer between Texas
Comptroller John Sharp and Republican Agriculture Commissioner
Rick Perry. Sharp has 32 percent of support from registered voters
compared with 30 percent for Perry. Thirty-five percent of registered
voters are undecided, and 3 percent support neither candidate.
"Nothing has changed because nothing has changed,"
said Joe Cutbirth, spokesman for Mauro.
Mauro is expected on Monday to announce his candidacy for the
Democratic nomination for governor.
"It's no surprise that Bush is this high in the polls,"
Cutbirth said. "Gov. Bush has been content to coast into
the 21st century, so it is no surprise he hasn't ruffled a few
feathers."
Meanwhile, Bush's campaign for re-election begins with his
approval ratings the highest of any of the past four Texas governors.
In fact, Texans consistently gave two of those governors higher
negative than positive ratings.
And the third - former Gov. Ann Richards - was defeated by
Bush despite poll results that showed more than 50 percent of
Texans approved of her job performance.
"Bush is in the driver's seat," said Bruce Buchanan,
a government professor at the University of Texas-Austin. "He
is continuing to do a good job of presenting a moderate, pleasant
image to most people."
Analysts say Bush's popularity is a boost for his presidential
ambitions.
Forty-six percent of Texans think Bush should seek the presidency
in 2000 compared with 41 percent in May. Fifty-one percent think
he should run for president if he is re-elected in 1998.
The governor has continued to say he has not decided if he
will run for president.
Sixty-six percent of Texans approve of the way Bush is doing
his job as governor. Twenty-seven percent disapprove.
Bush began his term in 1995 with a 37 percent approval rating,
which has increased to 66 percent in the latest poll and peaked
at 70 percent in February 1996.
The most recent poll also showed:
n Of Texans who approved of Bush's job performance as governor,
23 percent say they like his ideas; 9 percent say he was sincere
and caring; 9 percent hadn't heard anything negative about him.
Bush's character and leadership both got him high approval ratings
from 8 percent of Texans.
n Twenty-three percent of Texans who don't like the way Bush
was doing his job don't know why. But of those who know why they
disapprove of Bush's job performance, 27 percent say he hasn't
done anything; 12 percent dislike his ideas and 5 percent don't
like his character.
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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