Obama Approval Rating Holds in Minnesota, Plummets in Iowa and Wisconsin

Although Barack Obama's approval rating has taken an (expected) hit in Minnesota since the beginning of his term, a hit all presidents endure, a new SurveyUSA poll finds Gopher State residents much more patient with the new Democratic president than many states across the nation.

A poll of 600 adults, conducted August 26-27 by SurveyUSA, finds 53 percent of Minnesotans approve of the President's job performance, up a statistically insignificant 2 points from July. Forty-four percent disapproved of Obama's job performance.

What is particularly noteworthy is that Obama's approval rating dropped in August in 10 of the 13 states tracked each month by SurveyUSA, and by an average of 3.8 points.

In fact, Obama dipped to record lows in the neighboring states of Iowa and Wisconsin in the new round of surveys.

In Iowa, only 45 percent of adults give Obama positive marks this month, down a significant 11 points from July. Fifty-four percent disapprove. Likewise, in Wisconsin, just 45 percent approve of Obama's job performance, down from 50 percent in July. Fifty percent disapprove.

Obama's rating also dipped to record lows in the states of Alabama (40 percent), California (62 percent), Kentucky (36 percent), Missouri (48 percent), New Mexico (52 percent), New York (58 percent), Virginia (42 percent), and Washington (51 percent).

Perhaps it is due to Minnesota's culture of patience, with its ice fishing and slow-starting vehicles in the winter, but while the rest of the country has become increasingly impatient with Obama and the economic concerns facing the nation, more Minnesotans are, comparatively, giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Overall, Obama's approval rating has fallen at the slowest rate in Minnesota compared to the other 12 states tracked by SurveyUSA. The President's job performance rating has dropped only 17.2 percent since January in the Gopher State, compared to an average of 28.5 percent elsewhere.

In Wisconsin, Obama's approval rating has dropped a whopping 35.7 percent, from a lofty 70 percent in January to 45 percent in August. A similar story has unfolded in Iowa, where the President's approval rating has fallen 33.8 percent, from 68 percent in January to 45 percent in August.

One possible explanation for the more favorable view Minnesotans have of Barack Obama's job performance to date compared to its Upper Midwestern neighbors is that the Gopher State's job situation has somewhat stabilized. Minnesota's unemployment rate is up only 8 percent from January to July (7.5 to 8.1 percent), compared to 28.6 percent in Wisconsin (7.0 to 9.0 percent) and 35.4 percent in Iowa (4.8 to 6.5 percent).

Change in Barack Obama Approval Rating Since January 2009

State	January	August	Change	% Change
Minnesota	64	53	-11	-17.2
California	77	62	-15	-19.5
New Mexico	65	52	-13	-20.0
Oregon	68	54	-14	-20.6
New York	78	58	-20	-25.6
Washington	69	51	-18	-26.1
Missouri	65	48	-17	-26.2
Kansas	62	45	-17	-27.4
Virginia	62	42	-20	-32.3
Alabama	60	40	-20	-33.3
Iowa	68	45	-23	-33.8
Wisconsin	70	45	-25	-35.7
Kentucky	62	36	-26	-41.9
Average	66.9	48.5	-18.4	-27.7

Note: SurveyUSA data compiled by Smart Politics.

The most recent national tracking poll, released today by Rasmussen, finds Obama's approval rating at 45 percent, with 53 percent disapproving.

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