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Saturday, August 30, 1997

Bush's popularity remains high

By STEVE RAY / Harte-Hanks Texas Poll Syndicate

Copyright 1997 Harte-Hanks Communications

AUSTIN -- Almost seven of 10 Texans like the way Gov. George W. Bush is doing his job, according to the Harte-Hanks Texas Poll.

That's about the same number of Texans who approved his performance earlier this year.

But Bush's disapproval rating has dropped 8 points, which analysts say boosts the governor's re-election efforts and increases his chance of running for president in 2000.

"Being in the national political spotlight has helped his negatives go down in Texas," said Bruce Buchanan, a University of Texas professor who specializes in state and presidential politics.

"He is considered the leading Republican prospect for the presidential ticket in 2000. All the stories are driving home how popular he is and that he has a good record of achievement. Reading that over and over again has a big effect on some people."

Sixty-eight percent of Texans think Bush is doing a good or excellent job. Twenty-two percent do not like the way he's running Texas -- down from 30 percent last spring.

The governor's high approval rating stretches across every income level, age group, political party, gender and region of the state. The only demographic area where he draws less than 54 percent is among African-Americans.

Texans are evenly divided on the job that state lawmakers are doing, and more of them blame legislators than the governor for the failure of his property tax reform plan.

Texans now rank education as the state's top issue, ahead of crime and taxes, the poll shows.

"This really plays into Bush's hands," Buchanan said. "All three are issues he has campaigned on and problems where he has tried to make changes."

Bush said education and crime are linked together as problems facing the state.

"They both go hand-in-hand," Bush said. "I often remind people that an educated child is one less likely to commit a crime."

Among other findings of the poll:

-- Almost 31 percent of blacks say crime is the biggest problem facing Texas compared with 18 percent of Hispanics and 15 percent of Anglos.

-- The more education Texans have, the more likely they are to consider education the top issue facing Texas.