Is the Republican brand damaged? To answer this question requires examination of Republican governors, Republicans in Congress, and Republican presidential candidates.

The public views of these levels of the Republican brand can indicate whether the Party is looking strong going into the 2012 elections, or whether the Party needs to make some adjustments to plan a successful election year.

Republicans did well in the 2010 governor’s races, gaining a majority of governorships for the first time since 2006. Perhaps most importantly, Republicans won the governorships in several key states in 2012. These positions can, if held with popular support, benefit the national party in presidential elections.

So how are those key state governors viewed by their voters? In Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is fighting recall.

In Ohio, Gov. John Kasich was soundly rebuffed in his key legislative effort to undermine unions. Kasich has a 33 percent approval rating.

In Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott, as of December, has an approval rating of 26 percent. Republican Rick Snyder of Michigan is also sporting a low rating of 20 percent approval. Gov. Corbett of Pennsylvania is doing considerably better with an approval rating of 46 percent.

And New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has seen his approval rise to 56 percent recently.

Overall, many of these governors, should their approval ratings not improve, could be a drag on the national Republican ticket.

But how about Republicans in congress in terms of public approval? In 2010 Republicans won a majority in the House of Representatives and have used that majority to advance their ideas and political goals.

A mid-December ABC poll found Republican congressional approval lower than Democratic approvals, at 20 percent compared to the Democrats 27 percent. A Pew poll, also in December, found Republican approval at 21 percent with Democratic approval at 31 percent.

At the presidential level none of the potential Republican candidates currently polls above President Obama in head-to-head comparisons according to December CNN/ORC and ABC/Washington Post polls.

What does all of this mean in terms of the Republican brand? A December CNN/ORC poll cites registered voters who view democrats favorably at 55 percent with 41 percent viewing them unfavorably.

For Republicans, 43 percent of registered voters view the party favorably, while 52 percent view the party negatively.

A December Reuters/Ipsos poll asked voters if they leaned towards the Republican s or the Democrats in the next election. 42 percent leaned Republican and 48 percent leaned Democratic.

All of these indicators, from the Governorships to the congress to the presidential candidates suggest that Republicans have a good deal of re-branding to be accomplished before the 2012 elections.

But what lies under these polls? What concerns do voters have?

A December Pew Research poll suggests the underlying problems.

The Pew poll respondents thought Democrats govern in a more honest and ethical way; Democrats can better manage the federal government; Democrats are more willing to work with political leaders from the other party; and Republicans are perceived to take more extreme political positions.

Republicans were not helped in 2011 by the congressional battles with the Obama administration. And the party is not benefitting from the early Republican debates, which seem to be popular more because of the anticipated extreme comments that come from those debates than from the thoughtful policies articulated.

2012, in theory at least, poses an opportunity for the Republican Party to win the White House as historically a bad economy has caused incumbents to get booted.

But in order for that to occur the Republicans are going to have to repair their brand in the election cycle, a difficult task in a hyper political environment.

 

Jim Crawford is a retired educator and political enthusiast living here in the Tri-State.