Clarus Poll: DC Voters Unhappy With Mayor Fenty's Handling of Snow Storms

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new poll finds that 64 percent of Washington, D.C. voters think Mayor Adrian Fenty did "only a fair" or "poor" job handling the recent snow emergency in the nation's capital, while 33 percent think he did an "excellent" or "good" job.

The citywide survey was conducted Sunday, February 21st by the nonpartisan Clarus Research Group, a polling firm based in Washington, D.C.

"Based on public perceptions, the bad news for the mayor is that he missed a major opportunity to demonstrate leadership in a crisis," said Ron Faucheux, president of Clarus. "The good news is that his overall job approval rating did not go down as a result."

Poll findings:

• Racial differences: 71 percent of African Americans and 53% of whites think Mayor Fenty did "only a fair" or "poor" job handling the snow situation; 25 percent of African Americans and 45 percent of whites think he did an "excellent" or "good" job.

• Ward differences: Voters in the area comprising Wards 2 and 3 hold the most positive views toward Fenty's handling of the snow emergency while voters in the area that makes up Wards 6, 7 and 8 hold the most negative views.

• Fenty's overall job approval holds steady: In the latest Clarus poll, 42 percent of voters approve of Fenty's handling of his job as mayor while 48 percent disapprove. "The snow emergency was one of the most important events during the mayor's term and, so far, his handling of it has not had measurable impact on his overall job rating," said Faucheux. "His job approval numbers have remained virtually the same since the Clarus poll in November."

The Washington Post's January 24-28 poll, which was taken before the most recent snow emergency, also showed Fenty with an approval rating of 42 percent.

• City Council rating wins solid majority: In the February 21st poll, the D.C. City Council received a job approval rating of 57 percent and a disapproval rating of 22 percent, with 21 percent undecided. The Council rates better among blacks – 61 percent – than among whites, 50 percent. "Overall, this is a good rating for a legislative body," said Faucheux. "Most legislative bodies across the nation, be they federal, state or local, fall below the D.C. Council's current standing."

• Norton scores highest popularity: D.C. Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton captured a job approval rating of 84 percent with only 8 percent expressing disapproval of her job. Norton scores well with both whites (78 percent) and blacks (87 percent).

Clarus conducted the new citywide survey via telephone by live interviewers February 21, 2010, among 441 voters in Washington, D.C. The margin of error is +/- 4.66 percent. Survey questions were not asked on behalf of, or paid for by, any client, political candidate or party organization. The survey was conducted by Clarus as a nonpartisan public service.

EXACT POLL QUESTIONS ASKED (CLARUS POLL, Feb. 21, 2010):

I am now going to read you a list of local public officials. Please tell me whether you approve or disapprove of the job each is doing...

Thinking about the local snow emergency we've experienced the last two weeks... Do you think Mayor Adrian Fenty has done an excellent job, a good job, only a fair job, or a poor job handling the snow situation and removal?

SOURCE Clarus Research Group