Poll: Obama’s approval rating in Arizona up despite Republican candidate barbs

PHOENIX — A recent poll showed improved job ratings for President Barack Obama in Arizona despite numerous attacks from campaigning Republicans.

Though it would be unwise to say that Arizonans across the board are loving the president’s job performance, the Behavior Research Center’s Rocky Mountain Poll showed a measurable change in attitude.

In an election year, during which numerous GOP candidates have besmirched the commander-in-chief and his job performance, it appears that many Democrats have begun to “circle the wagons” in preparation for November’s general election.

“If Democrats are becoming more loyal to the president (or more angry at the attacks being made on him), their renewed loyalty could spill over to help Democrats in this year’s presidential and congressional races,” pollsters speculated in a release.

The verbal lashings aimed at the president may reflect how Republicans think of the president. The poll said 72 percent think he’s doing a lousy job, down from the 75 percent who gave the president a poor performance rating last year.

Overall, Obama’s favorable job rating has been steadily rising with Arizonans since July 2014 when it hovered at 23 percent, then rose to 28 percent in May 2015 and stood at 36 percent in April.

At the same time, negative opinions of the president decreased from 42 percent in 2014 to 36 percent this year.

The poll consisted of 701 Arizonans, 564 of whom were registered voters.