Press release: Florida Voters Turn Thumbs Down On Gov. Scott 2-1, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Say Property Insurance Is Getting Worse. Florida voters disapprove 57 – 29 percent of the job Gov. Rick Scott is doing, the worst score of any governor in the states surveyed by Quinnipiac University and down from a 48 – 35 percent disapproval in an April 6 survey, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
The state’s new budget is unfair to people like them, voters tell the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll 54 – 29 percent. Gov. Scott and the State Legislature are equally responsible for the budget, 68 percent of voters say. The legislature’s job approval rating is nearly identical to that of the governor, as voters disapprove 56 – 27 percent, compared to 47 – 35 percent disapproval in April.
Despite the new property insurance law signed by the governor, voters say securing insurance is getting harder and more expensive.
“Voters have turned even more negative on Gov. Rick Scott since the last Quinnipiac University survey,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “It probably doesn’t make him feel any better that the State Legislature is sharing the basement suite in the eyes of the electorate. The good news for the governor is that he has three and a half years to turn public opinion around. ”
Even Scott’s support among Republicans is relatively weak, with 51 percent of GOP voters approving and 37 percent disapproving of his job performance. Disapproval is 72 – 13 percent among Democrats and 57 – 28 percent among independent voters. Both sexes are down on Scott: Men disapprove 53 – 35 percent and women disapprove 60 – 24 percent.
“The data on the perceived fairness of the governor’s budget is crucial. When voters by almost 2-1 say his approach is unfair to them, that’s a giant flashing political warning sign for Scott,” said Brown. “When voters don’t think they are being treated fairly, they tend to react negatively.”
On that question Democrats say the budget is unfair 68 – 18 percent, and independent voters say unfair 52 – 30 percent, while Republicans say it is fair 47 – 38 percent. Men say unfair 48 – 38 percent; women say unfair 60 – 22 percent.
Asked about the cuts in state spending contained in the budget, 47 percent say they go too far, while 18 percent say not far enough and 22 percent say they are about right. And by 38 – 23 percent voters think those cuts will hurt, rather than help, Florida’s economy.
Voters split 42 – 40 percent on whether they think Scott kept his promise not to raise taxes.
On insurance, 63 percent say property insurance is getting more difficult to obtain in Florida and 3 percent say it is getting easier. One in four voters, 26 percent, say there has been no change.
An even larger share, 74 percent, say property insurance is getting more expensive in Florida, as 3 percent say it is getting less expensive and 16 percent say there has been no change.
This frustration with the insurance market for consumers leads 59 percent of voters to call for more government regulation of property insurance in the state, while 29 percent say the state is doing enough.
“Whether the new law changes public attitudes about insurance in Florida, only time will tell, but there is no doubt that the electorate sees a crying need for something to make getting and paying for property insurance in Florida less onerous,” said Brown.