Larry Hogan Is 2nd Most Popular Governor In America: Poll

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The four-year honeymoon has yet to end between Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who is seeking re-election in November, and voters not only in his Republican party, but Democrats as well in the blue state. Hogan is the second most popular governor in the United States, according to a new quarterly poll released by Morning Consult. According to the Q2 poll, 68 percent of voters approve of Hogan, while only 17 percent disapprove and the rest don’t know or have no opinion of the governor.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is the most popular governor in the United States, according to the poll, with only a 1 percent higher approval rating than Hogan.

Baker and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, both Republicans, retain the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on the quarterly poll, which they also had when the first quarterly poll was conducted in 2018. A Real Clear Politics average of polling data gives Hogan a comfortable lead over Democrat Ben Jealous in the race, 49 percent to 34.3 percent.

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Former NAACP president Jealous won union endorsements but not universal backing from Democratic party leaders in the primary election. Hogan's campaign has trumpeted 50 endorsements from current and former elected Democratic officials supporting the governor for re-election over Jealous. The endorsements include Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman, Bowie City Councilman Henri Gardner, Bowie Mayor Fred Robinson, former Anne Arundel County Executive Jim Lighthizer, and more.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican who ranked No. 3 in the first quarterly poll, saw a whopping loss in his favorability, falling out of the top 10 and landing three spots from the bottom 10, according to Morning Consult. According to the poll, Scott’s support fell among both among registered voters in his own party and independents, but he remains popular among Democrats. The change comes after Scott signed gun restriction bills in the state, the poll noted.

Replacing Scott for the No. 3 spot was another Republican, Gov. Kay Ivey of Alabama.

New governors in New Jersey and Virginia, both Democrats, saw gains in the polls between the first and second quarter.

Here are the top 10 governors in America:

• Charlie Baker (R-Massachusetts)
• Larry Hogan (R-Maryland)
• Kay Ivey (R-Alabama)
• Chris Sununu (R-New Hampshire)
• Dennis Daugaard (R-South Dakota)
• Matt Mead (R-Wyoming)
• Brian Sandoval (R-Nevada)
• Asa Hutchinson (R-Arkansas)
• Nathan Deal (R-Georgia)
• Greg Abbott (R-Texas)

Here are the bottom 10 governors in America:

• Mary Fallin (R-Oklahoma)
• Dan Malloy (D-Connecticut)
• Bruce Rauner (R-Illinois)
• Matt Bevin (R-Kentucky)
• Bill Walker (I-Alaska)
• Susana Martinez (R-New Mexico)
• Paul Lepage (R-Maine)
• Rick Snyder (R-Michigan)
• Scott Walker (R-Wisconsin)
• David Ige (D-Hawaii)

Morning Consult conducted 326,051 surveys with registered U.S. voters from April 1 to June 30 for the poll. (You can see the full methodology here.)

Photo of Gov. Larry Hogan courtesy of Maryland governor's office