Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is once again ranked as the most popular governor in the country, according to a new poll released Tuesday by Morning Consult.
Some 74% of registered voters in Massachusetts say they approve of the two-term Republican who is not seeking a third term in office. Only 20% of voters disapprove of Baker, according to a poll spanning July 1 through Sept. 30.
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, had the second highest approval rating of 73%, followed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, also a Republican, at 70%.
Approval rankings for the other New England governors include 59% for New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, 58% for Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, 54% for Maine Gov. Janet Mills and 47% for Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown had the lowest approval rating of 40%. Also at the bottom of the list were Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey at 42% and Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts at 47%.
Baker announced in December that he and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito would not run for reelection, with the pair putting their focus on the work still remaining in their administration — which has been drastically interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic — over the type of divisive party politics the governor regularly eschews.
But Geoff Diehl, a former state representative and the Republican nominee for governor, is endorsed by former President Donald Trump, who’s vocally rebuked Baker.
Diehl, a staunch critic of COVID mandates, has vowed to rehire all the state employees who were fired over Baker’s vaccine requirement. Still, his Democratic opponent, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, is heavily favored to win this November.