Polls show bad news for Branstad, legislative Republicans

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By Mike Glover 08/27/15

Des Moines, Iowa – There’s clear evidence that Democrats are going to focus on two controversial decisions by Gov. Terry Branstad as they gear up for the next legislative elections, and they say there’s evidence that voters are on their side and could give them the boost they need to retake control of the Legislature.

In a memo to “interested parties,” Democrat Josh Levitt pointed to recent polls showing that Branstad’s approval rating has sunk badly in the wake of his veto of $56 million in funding for elementary and secondary education and his decision to close two of the four mental institutions in the state. While Branstad doesn’t face election until 2018, the ramifications of his actions will fall on legislative Republicans facing election next year, Levitt said.

“Branstad’s abysmal poll numbers are not just bad news for Governor Branstad, they are bad news for all legislative Republicans who through their inaction this summer are just as responsible for the negative impact of the vetoes. He pointed to PPP and Quinnipiac University polls to make his case. The Quinnipiac poll showed that just 48 percent of those surveyed approved of Branstad’s job performance; the PPP poll was even more negative, saying 42 percent approved of his job performance.

The PPP poll also found that 49 percent of those surveyed disapproved of Branstad’s veto of higher education funding, 57 percent disapproved of his veto of education funding and a whopping 63 percent disapproved of his veto of legislation to keep open the mental health institutions.

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“Nearly every Republican blindly stood by Governor Branstad’s vetoes and refused to join with Democrats in calling for a special session,” Levitt said. “The contrast was stark: every legislative Democrat signed a petition calling for a special session. Virtually no Republican signed a petition.”

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http://iowadailydemocrat.com/news/2015/08/polls-show-bad-news-for-branstad-legislative-republicans/

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1. I wonder if Braindead is planning on staying until 2018?

Or if he's planning on retiring before his term is up?