State of the Nation: A 50-State COVID-19 Survey: Report #5: Approval of Executive Performance During COVID-19   [open pdf - 0B]

From the Document: "The initial response to a crisis typically depends on the executive branch of government, because they may act more rapidly than legislative and judicial branches. For COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] in particular, the focal decision-makers have been the president and the governors of the 50 states. In the eyes of the public, how have the president and governors responded? [...] First, the average governor has experienced a 10-point decline in approval from late April to late June, and in only 5 states--Hawaii, Michigan, New Jersey, South Dakota and Vermont--have governors' approval ratings increased since late April. In the remaining states, approval has declined. Second, the President began (at the outset of our series in late April) with a relatively low approval rating, below that of the governor in all 50 states, and has declined further--by 8 points on average. Only one governor--Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona-- now has an approval rating in their state lower than that of the president."