NH Voters: High Approval Ratings for Shaheen and Hassan, Lower Approval Numbers for Ayotte

May 13, 2013 Henniker, NH - New Hampshire voters largely approve of the work being done by the state’s top elected leaders in Concord and in Washington DC.  However,in the latest NEC Poll, Senator Kelly Ayotte’s (R) ratings are significantlylower than the ratings for fellow Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D) NH, and NewHampshire Governor Maggie Hassan (D).

“Senator Ayotte has a job approval margin of +5 which is better than some recent numbers from other sources,” commented New England College Polling Center Director Dr. Ben Tafoya. “However, she does not face voters until 2016 so that gives her more time solidify her position.”  

Approval ratings are evenly split 45 percent to 45 percent among a key demographic: independent voters.  The poll showed a positive rating for Ayotte among men (+12) with a small negative among women (-2) with 12 percent of women unsure. The survey conducted between May 2 and 5 consisted of responses from 807 randomly selected registered voters in New Hampshire.

The survey was conducted by telephone and asked a series of questions regarding voter opinion on political figures in the state.  The margin of error is +/- 3.27 percent. On the other side of the aisle, New Hampshire’s top twodemocratic leaders are enjoying strong approval numbers. 

“Senator Shaheen’s numbers indicate she is in a strong position for reelection in 2014,” explains Director Tafoya. “While the general election is still a year and a half in the future, Senator Shaheen has an approval rating at +34 points.” NEC tested a potential 2014 match-up between Senator Shaheen and former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, who recently admitted he wasweighing a run for US Senate in New Hampshire. The poll finds Scott Brown is personally popular with a +12 favorability rating. However, incumbent Senator Shaheen holds a strong lead in a head to head matchup against Senator Brown, 53% to 35% with 12% undecided. The NEC poll also found a strong position for Governor Maggie Hassan at a +30 point approval.

“The Governor has strong numbers based on her 100 days in office,” continued Tafoya. “She leads a potential 2014 match-up against State Senator Jeb Bradley by 54% to 29%. Governor Hassan leads among Democrats and Un-enrolled voters while State Senator Bradley has a solid lead among Republican voters.” Senator Bradley holds a +5% approval rating among New Hampshire voters, but 48% say they are unsure about him, meaning most voters either don’t know Jeb Bradley or don’t have enough information about his to formulate an opinion about his job approval. Other findings from the NEC Poll:-  91% of Democrats approve of the job of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen -  81% of Republicans approve of the job of Sen. Kelly Ayotte-  85% of Democrats approve of the job of Gov. Maggie Hassan-  Men approve of job done by Sen. Kelly Ayotte: 53%-41% - Women narrowly disapprove of the job done by Sen. Kelly Ayotte: 46%-43% - Voters have a 41%-29% approval for former Sen. Scott Brown, 30% are unsure New England College will release its first 2016 NH Primary poll tomorrow, May 14.

About New England College: New England College emphasizes experiential learning as an essential component in the development of an enduring academic community. Building upon a strong liberal arts foundation, we challenge our students to reach their full potential through informed discourse and the pursuit of excellence in a framework of academic freedom.  New England College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Inc. (NEASC) through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. The Teacher Education Program (and the majors in Elementary Education, Physical Education, Secondary Education, and Special Education) is approved by the New Hampshire Department of Education.