Hoosier Survey: Pence approval rating below 50 percent

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The approval rating for Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is stuck below 50, according to findings from the 2015 WISH-TV/Ball State Hoosier Survey.

Mike Pence started 2015 on a high. Amid speculation that he might run for President, he focused on matters close to home.

But one of the things he focused on backfired: the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA.

The governor signed it surrounded by the three biggest opponents of gay marriage in Indiana.

Critics called the law a license to discriminate and the governor stumbled badly in an effort to defend it on national television.

The result is a relatively low approval rating in the Hoosier Survey.

It shows that just 47 percent of the people in Indiana like his performance. Thirty five percent disapprove of the job being done by Mike Pence.

“And this is where RFRA — and some of the other issues that we’ve also polled on — show that Pence really got hurt,” said Ball State political science professor Ray Scheele.

A year ago, the Pence approval rating in the Hoosier Survey was 62 percent.

It means that the governor has experienced a 15 point drop.

“Just as important is that he’s down about 17 points among Republicans,” said Ball State political science professor Joe Losco. “So, clearly there’s some shine off his administration.”

And the governor, so far, has done nothing to change the dynamics.

When asked in March if he is still opposed to giving protected status to gays and lesbians, Pence said, “I’ve never supported that.”

24-Hour News 8 asked voters who they would support if the 2016 election was held now.

Forty two percent chose Pence.

Thirty seven percent chose Democrat John Gregg.

It’s a gap that is within the poll’s margin of error.Editor’s note: Weigh in! Vote in our unscientific poll within this story.