Poll: SB 5, Kasich support rose
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
Support for Gov. John Kasich and Senate Bill 5 rose slightly in the past two months, though a majority of Ohioans still disapprove of both.
That’s according to the latest survey by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, which found that 49 percent of Ohioans still disapprove of Kasich’s work in office, versus 40 percent who approve.
That compares to July survey results of 50 percent disapproval, 35 percent approval.
On Senate Bill 5, 51 percent of voters want controversial collective-bargaining law repealed, versus 38 percent who want it to take effect as-is.
That compares to July survey results of 56 percent who supported the repeal and 32 percent who did not.
“Ohio voters seem to be warming a little toward Gov. John Kasich, although he is still under water when it comes to public opinion,” Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the polling institute, said in a released statement. “The governor still has more than three years left until he faces the voters again and his numbers are moving in the right direction.”
But, he added, “SB 5 is another story. Support for repealing the bill in the November referendum has dropped from a 24-point to a 13-point margin. Backers of SB 5 have only six weeks to make up the difference, although public opinion appears to be moving in their direction.”
Connecticut-based Quinnipiac regularly gauges Ohioans’ opinions on candidates and issues. It questioned 1,301 registered voters over the past week about Kasich and November’s Issue 2.
The results have a margin of error of about 3 percent.
Despite respondents’ overall opposition to Senate Bill 5, many continue to agree with specific provisions contained in the bill.
A majority of those questioned support basing public employee pay on their job performance rather than seniority and requiring those workers to cover at least 15 percent of their health insurance costs and 10 percent toward their pensions.
But they oppose banning public employees from striking, eliminating seniority rights as the sole factor in layoffs and banning workers from bargaining over health insurance.