Oklahomans Divided Over President's Job Performance

News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY - A new poll shows almost half of Oklahomans disapprove of President Barack Obama's job performance.

In the poll released today by SoonerPoll.com, 48 percent of Oklahomans said they disapproved of the president's job.

The Oklahoma rating was well below the national average. As the president nears his 100^th day in office, he enjoys a national approval rating of about 68 percent according to a poll by NBC News and The Wall Street Journal.

"Oklahomans are predominately much more conservative than the nation is," NEWS 9 pollster Shapard said. "I also think this is being driven that we are a large energy producing state and that being said, Barack Obama's energy policies have not yet been defined yet.

"Everyone's a little bit suspicious that it will be not in our best interest as a state."

The Oklahoma survey reveals an almost even split among Oklahomans with 47 percent approving and 48 percent disapproving.

"I'll bet that's the highest disapproval of anyplace in the country," NEWS 9 Political Analyst Scott Mitchell said.

Republican John McCain easily won Oklahoma in November's general election with about 65 percent of the vote.

A 47 percent approval rating in conservative Oklahoma is an "astronomical improvement" for Obama, Mitchell said.

Mitchell said he thinks it's unlikely Obama's approval will increase in Oklahoma especially as the economic turmoil continues.

"We're going to see fallout from the economic problems for some time," he said.

View the Complete Poll Results.