Perdue back in decline

After showing progress through the first three months of 2010 Bev Perdue's approval numbers have taken a step backward. 28% of voters in the state say they approve of her performance to 52% who disapprove. A month ago she had improved to a 32/47 spread.

Perdue's approval has declined because of decreased support from independents and Democrats. She was already about as low as she could get with Republicans. The drop with independents from 28/47 a month ago to 23/56 this month can probably be chalked up to an ever increasing anti-politician sentiment from those voters. Richard Burr saw a similar dip in his popularity with them since March, showing that's cutting across party lines. More worrisome for Perdue is that she continues to be under 50% within her own party. 44% of Democrats give her good marks this month while 33% of them say they disapprove of her.

If Perdue's numbers continue to be this poor she's likely to be a drag on Democratic legislative candidates this fall, and indeed North Carolina voters this month say they plan to support Republicans for the General Assembly by a 45-42 margin. That's thanks to an eye popping 47-18 edge with independents and also because 89% of Republicans plan to support their party while only 78% of Democrats are committed to theirs. The GOP continues to have its best chance in over a decade to gain control of the legislature.

Despite a rash of high profile Democratic scandals in recent years voters are pretty evenly divided on which party is more equipped to clean up state government. 41% say it's the Republicans while 39% choose the Democrats. That's just another indication the GOP won't get too far with the corruption issue. Voters are just too entrenched in their feeling that both parties are corrupt.

The short session is almost here, and it was the legislative session last year that dropped Perdue's approval numbers to their current low levels. She'll need to use this year's as an opportunity to come across as a more effective and decisive leader and try to change some of these opinions about her around before she becomes the star of Republican campaign ads across the state this fall.

Full results here