Poll: Pawlenty Shouldn't Run for President in 2012

According to a new FOX-Rasmussen Reports poll of likely Minnesota voters, 62 percent think the state is heading in the wrong direction, but people generally like the job Gov. Tim Pawlenty is doing.

A poll of 550 likely voters showed 56 percent either strongly approve or somewhat approve of the governor's performance.

Those are pretty strong numbers, considering the state budget crisis and the fact the DFL picked up seats in both the House and Senate last November.

How would you rate the job Tim Pawlenty has been doing as Governor… do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove of the job he’s been doing?

24% Strongly approve
32% Somewhat approve
25% Somewhat disapprove
19% Strongly disapprove
1% Not sure

Generally speaking, do you feel things in Minnesota are going in the right direction or have they gotten off on the wrong track?

24% Right direction
62% Wrong track
14% Not sure

Should Governor Tim Pawlenty accept the economic stimulus money?

67% Yes
17% No
17% Not sure

How confident are you state lawmakers to successfully deal with the current budget crisis?

10% Very confident
31% Somewhat confident
42% Not very confident
16% Not at all confident
2% Not sure

Those numbers don't translate into support for a Pawlenty run for president in 2012. Only 22 percent think the Minnesota governor should make a ru for the White House, versus 61 percent who say absolutely not.

Political insiders say how Pawlenty handles the budget crisis could greatly help or hurt his national credentials.

Should Tim Pawlenty run for President in 2012?

22% Yes
61% No
17% Not sure

While a majority of those surveyed think President Obama's stimulus plan will either hurt or have no impact on the recession, people generally like the job he's doing.

How would you rate the job Barack Obama has been doing as President-Elect… do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove of the job he’s been doing?

47% Strongly approve
14% Somewhat approve
12% Somewhat disapprove
26% Strongly disapprove
1% Not sure

An interesting highlight of the Rasmussen poll is only one percent aren’t sure. It's interesting because many of the state questions have large numbers of people unsure what they think.