Rell’s Popularity Remains High

HARTFORD (AP) — Public perception of honesty and strong leadership have helped Gov M. Jodi Rell to maintain high popularity ratings in the latest Quinnipiac University poll.

The poll, released Wednesday, showed Rell with a 79 percent approval rating, virtually unchanged from an 80 percent rating in a similar poll in April.

“She scores sky high on a series of personal traits — leadership, honesty likability, you name it,” Douglas Schwartz, the poll director said.

In the poll, 82 percent said Rell has strong leadership qualities, 87 percent said she is honest and trustworthy, 79 percent said she works well with other leaders and 86 percent said she has a likable personality.

Politically, 57 percent of registered voters see the Republican governor as a moderate and 75 percent said her politics are “about right.”

Although Rell has not yet said she would seek reelection next year, pollsters found that she easily defeated any of the Democrats mentioned as possible gubernatorial candidates.

The poll found Rell defeating Attorney General Richard Blumenthal 49 to 37 percent and getting larger margins over other candidates; 63-20 over Lt Gov Kevin Sullivan, 61-22 percent over Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz, 61-22 percent over New Haven Mayor John DeStefano, and 63-18 percent over Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy.

“After a year in office, Gov Rell is in a strong position to win election to a full term next year ... She is winning the vote of independents and a surprising 27 percent of Democrats as well,” Schwartz said.

The telephone poll of 1,067 registered votes was conducted from July 19 to 25 and has a sampling error margin of plus or minus three percentage points.