CNN

(CNN) - A new poll of Ohio voters indicates that the recession is taking a toll on Gov. Ted Strickland's approval rating, and could make his bid for re-election next year more difficult.

Forty-six percent of those questioned in a Quinnipiac University survey released Friday say they approve of how Strickland's handling his duties as governor of Ohio, 4 points higher than the 42 percent who disapprove. The 46 percent approval rating is down 11 points from two months ago, and marks the lowest approval rating for Strickland since February 2007, one month after he took office.

Read the rest of this entry »

(CNN) - Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland's approval rating has taken a hit as he grapples with a flailing local economy a massive budget shortfall, according to a new poll.

In a Quinnipiac Survey released Tuesday morning, the Ohio Democrat's approval rating stands at 56 percent - seven points less than it was one month ago.

The poll also shows divided opinion over the governor's proposal to use close to $7 billion of the federal stimulus package and a portion of the state's rainy day fund to meet the budget gap.

The poll, which surveyed 1,299 Ohio voters, was conducted from March 10-15 and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percent.

Strickland faces reelection in 2010.