Poll finds that Schwarzenegger’s approval rating has dropped to all-time low

Calif voters sour on Schwarzenegger performance

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is having trouble selling his latest act to California voters.

A Field Poll released Tuesday finds the Republican governor with his lowest approval rating ever. Just 27 percent of voters approve of his performance, while 65 percent disapprove.

The governor’s esteem has been slipping since December 2007, when he enjoyed an approval rating of 60 percent. His highest ratings came in 2004, his first full year in office.

Schwarzenegger’s latest mark is the second lowest when matched against the six governors who preceded him. Only Democrat Gray Davis scored lower, registering a 22 percent approval rating in 2003, shortly before voters recalled him.

The results were based on a telephone survey of 1,005 voters conducted Sept. 18 to Oct. 5. The survey has a margin of sampling error of 3.2 percentage points.