New Survey: Branstad & his vetoes unpopular with Iowans
According to a new survey released today by Public Policy Polling (PPP), Iowans are growing more frustrated with Governor Terry Branstad and his vetoes of public education, university funding, and his rejection of a bipartisan plan to keep open two of Iowa’s four mental health institutes.
From the PPP survey:
“Terry Branstad is not terribly popular right now, with 42% of voters approving of him to 47% who disapprove. Voters in the state are pretty unhappy with several of Branstad’s recent actions. Only 34% approve of his recent veto of funding for the major universities in the state, compared to 49% opposed to that action. There’s even less support for his recent veto of funding for K12 education in the state- that meets with 29% support and 57% opposition. But the most unpopular recent action of all is his veto of the bipartisan plan to keep open 2 of Iowa’s 4 mental health institutions. Just 20% of voters support him on that issue to 63% who are opposed, and on that one even Republicans are opposed to his action with only 37% in favor of and 42% against it.”
The Governor’s falling support and the widespread opposition to his recent vetoes comes as school districts are struggling to make ends meet, and as mental health patients have been displaced from the institutes shut down by the Governor. As more school districts explain the tough choices they will have to make as a result of the Governor’s vetoes (cutting school supplies and textbooks is just one of many examples), his support from Iowans is likely to slip further. And while mental health patients see their lives disrupted because the Governor rejected a bipartisan plan to keep two mental health facilities open, it’s no wonder Iowans are frustrated.
Governor Branstad and his administration should listen to their constituents, who are telling them loud and clear: don’t veto our future.
