SurveyUSA lays out the bad news for Strickland...

As I've discussed recently here on 3BP, one of the most important questions in an election that centers around an incumbent seeking re-election is the one asking voters about that incumbent's job approval rating.

Survey USA, the most accurate pollster of the big three elections of 2009, recently surveyed 600 Ohio Adults.

"Adults" is a key word here. Usually you find pollsters surveying one of three groups - likely voters, registered voters, or adults. "Adults" aren't screened in any way, and due to the propensity for GOP-leaning voters to be more likely to vote, tend to be skewed towards the left.

Considering the results of the Survey USA poll, that's an important distinction.

• By 54-40, Ohioans disapprove of the job Ted Strickland is doing as Governor.
• Among Independent voters, that disapproval jumps to 61-32.
• However, the most shocking result came from those who describe themselves as "liberal" where disapproval once again wins the day by a score of 47-46.

Think about that for a second. Nearly half of all liberals disapprove of Ted Strickland.

That is absolutely staggering.

If that number is just cut in half, I still would find it extremely difficult that Ted Strickland could get out the vote necessary to win in November. Would those liberals vote for John Kasich? Probably not. But they also wouldn't bother leaving their couches.

With poll after poll showing this kind of disaffection, it's clear that Strickland will have no choice but to go obnoxiously negative in his commercials this fall.

Thank God for DVR, eh?