America's Most Popular Governors: Here's How Gov. Wolf Stacks Up

Political issues are inherently divisive, and Pennsylvania is surely no exception, with support for leaders often drawn sharply along party lines.

Gov. Wolf, like any governor, is often subject to intense scrutiny — scrutiny that comes in the form of approval ratings.

Using approval ratings for governors across the U.S., 24/7 Wall St. this week released its most recent list of Most and Least Popular Governors in America. To identify where governors ranked on the list, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed research company Morning Consult’s Governor Approval Ratings, which are based on survey data collected during the fourth quarter of 2019.

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And while Gov. Wolf may inspire what seems like intense vitriol on either side in the Keystone State, he's not nearly as controversial as dozens of other governors nationwide.

Wolf was ranked the 19th most popular governor, according to the list. As of Dec. 19, his approval rating sat at 53 percent,. His disapproval rating of 33 percent, though, is the 22nd highest.

While many factors shape public opinion, no single variable seems to explain a high or low approval rating, the ranking says. However, 24/7 Wall St. analyzed a few factors that tend to rise and fall in tandem with governor approval ratings. This includes the economic conditions in a state, unemployment rate, and the balance of a state’s rainy day fund — an indicator of a state’s fiscal management abilities.

In Pennsylvania, the unemployment rate in December 2019 was 4.5 percent, the sixth highest nationally. The state also had a rainy day fund of $22.8 million, which is the smallest in the entire nation.

The most popular governor in the U.S., according to the rankings, is Republican Gov. Mark Gordon of Wyoming. Gordon’s approval rating is 69 percent and, at its lowest, his disapproval rating was 11 percent.

On the other hand, the least popular governor is Hawaii’s David Ige (D), with an approval rating of 32 percent. At its highest, Ige’s disapproval rating was 58 percent.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves were not included on the list, because they assumed office after the survey was conducted.

Wolf, who took office in 2015, was re-elected to a second term by a large margin of victory during the 2018 midterms.