The fifth survey conducted by the multi-university COVID-19 Consortium for Understanding the Public’s Policy Preferences Across States, led in part by Shorenstein Center faculty Matthew Baum and Kennedy School Institute of Politics Polling Director John Della Volpe, found that between April and June approval ratings for how governors and the President have handled the COVID-19 pandemic have fallen.
First, the average governor has experienced a 10-point decline in approval from late April to late June, and in only 5 states—Hawaii, Michigan, New Jersey, South Dakota and Vermont*—have governors’ approval ratings increased since late April. In the remaining states, approval has declined. Second, the President began (at the outset of our series in late April) with a relatively low approval rating, below that of the governor in all 50 states, and has declined further—by 8 points on average. Only one governor—Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona— now has an approval rating in their state lower than that of the president.
