How’s Cuomo doing? We compare and contrast

Politics is a quirky business. This is the story of six governors who have proposed similar programs aimed at cutting expenses and holding the line on taxes, with completely different reactions from the voters.

At the top of the list is New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo has succeeded in getting the State Legislature to impose a cap on taxes, pass a timely budget, impose new ethics rules and pass a historic marriage-equality law, and, according to Quinnipiac University, his popularity rating has risen to 64 percent positive and only 19 percent negative.

The difference in results for some of the other governors is due to their personalities, not their programs. It’s one thing to push through landmark legislation, and it’s another thing to please the public while you’re doing it.

Take the case of the Republican governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie. Christie has become a national icon to right-wing conservatives. His gruff, take-no-prisoners manner has won him many followers, but his current poll numbers are at 44 percent positive and 47 percent negative. He may have accomplished many of the same things as Governor Cuomo, but he has managed to alienate a substantial number of voters.

Virginia’s governor, Bob McDonnell, a Republican, was elected last year by a comfortable margin. He has succeeded in cutting taxes and freezing government costs, and boasts 55 percent positive against 26 percent negative polling numbers. McDonnell has carefully explained his programs, and comes across as a reliable public servant.

Florida’s governor, Republican Rick Scott, is a textbook example of how to lose friends and turn off the people. His proposals mirror many of Cuomo’s ideas, but Scott has succeeded in getting everyone, including his own party, angry at him. He is curt, inflammatory, angry and generally unpleasant, which earns him a 29 percent positive rating and a 57 percent negative.