The Sad Gop Governors State Tour

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

OHIO. The Buckeye State, where Governor Bob Taft’s approval rating is a dismal 19%, by far the worst in the country. 19! That's even lower than the approval rating for Bush's social security plan. Why? Among other reasons:

On the financial disclosure forms he files annually, Gov. Bob Taft has reported the wood vase from Honda, the football tickets from Ohio State University, the jacket from Ohio Farmers Insurance Co. But what he didn't report were any golf outings. And that - if it turns out he knowingly failed to report them - could be a crime. It's illegal in Ohio for a public official to accept any gift, including a golf outing, from people conducting or seeking business with a public agency.

Previously, Governor Taft has called for other state officials who committed similar offenses to resign. Taft won't. Oh, sweet hypocrisy!

CALIFORNIA. The Golden State has the Governator at a 31% approval rating, which is almost twice as high as Bob Taft’s, but that's still pretty bad. Schwarzenegger is staking his political livelihood on a state-wide referendum which will cost California taxpayers between $50 million and $70 million. Unfortunately, a Field Poll released Wednesday found that voters oppose two of the three measures on the ballot. Likely voters would oppose a school funding measure that limits state spending on public education (35% in favor, 42% opposed), as well as a measure that would change the process for congressional redistricting (35% in favor, 46% opposed).

TEXAS. The news is much funnier, but not much more cheerful, in the Lone Star State, where Governor Rick Perry is feeling mighty aLONE (ahh ha ... ha) with a oyish 38% approval rating. Things won't get better after a little slip of the tongue this week: In reference to a reporter who had just interviewed him, and unknown to Perry, the Governor said in a live mic, “Adios, mofo.”

NEW YORK. One governor back east may find himself saying "Adios, Mofo" before the 2006 race gets underway. In the Empire State, George Pataki is struggling with a "negative 36 - 47 percent approval rating." Further, a Siena Research Institute poll last week had Eliot Spitzer, the state Attorney General, beating Pataki 50%-37%. So, the state GOP is desperately looking to billionaire Tom Golisano to run if Pataki takes the hint and decides not to run. This is the best they can do? Golisano is a former third-party candidate for Governor, and as you might expect, New York Republicans aren’t thrilled about the idea. The Siena poll said he would lose to Spitzer, 53%-22%.

MASS. In the Bay State, Governor Mitt Romney may be thinking about running for president in 2008, but a poll suggests he might not even win his state in 2006: 48% would vote for Democratic attorney general Tom Reilly over Romney (38%).

GEORGIA. The Peach State has Governor Sonny Perdue with a decent 47% approval rating. However, last Friday the State Ethics Commission fined him for violating campaign laws. This is the first time a sitting Governor has ever been fined by the Georgia State Ethics Commission.

The moral of the state tour story? These six states, along with Jeb Bush’s Florida, are the largest states in the country with Republican Governors. And Democrats have a shot to win back all seven seats in 2006.