Gov. Dannel Malloy's job approval rating is at its highest ever, according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll.
Malloy, a Democrat who took office in January 2011, received an almost-even approval rating of 44-45 percent in the latest Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.
Malloy's approval figures are highest among Democrats, who favor the job the governor is doing by a margin of 64-27 percent; independent voters disprove of the job Malloy is doing by a margin of 48-40 percent; Republicans disapprove of the job Malloy is doing by a margin of 66-24 percent, according to the poll. The governor's approval rating is split at 46-46 percent among men, according to the poll, while women disapprove of the job Malloy is doing by a margin of 45-41 percent.
Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz noted that the approval rating is Malloy's highest since he assumed office, and attributed it to stronger Democratic support for the governor. Connecticut's electorate leans predominately Democratic.
"Gov. Dannel Malloy's overall approval rating is up slightly because he is doing better with Democrats. This lukewarm 44-45 percent score is not bad for a governor who raised the income tax across the board his first year to deal with an inherited deficit," Schwartz said.
Residents also support Malloy's proposal to by a margin of 54-35 percent, with 51-38 percent of that support among Democrats, as well as 47-41 percent of union households supporting the tenure change.
In typical fashion, Malloy's administration downplayed the findings and significance of the poll in a statement released early Wednesday morning.
"We have tried to be consistent in not saying much about polls because...what's there to say?" Malloy's Senior Advisor Roy Occhiogrosso said in a statement. "Polls come and go, numbers go up and down. The Governor always does what he thinks is best for the state and the right thing to do."
The poll, conducted from March 14 through March 19, surveyed 1,622 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.
