KAET-ASU Poll

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Contact Dr. Bruce Merrill (480) 965-7051
Can be used after 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 29, 2003

ARIZONANS EVENLY SPLIT OVER RENAMING SQUAW PEAK

GOVERNOR NAPOLITANO RECEIVES HIGH RATINGS BUT RENAMING SQUAW PEAK ERODED HER SUPPORT

MOST ARIZONA VOTERS FEEL TOO MUCH EMPHASIS IS BEING PLACED ON POLITICAL CORRECTNESS

A new statewide poll of registered voters conducted by KAET-TV/Channel 8 and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University between April 24 - 27, 2003, found that most of Arizona's voters (40%) had no opinion about renaming Squaw Peak in Phoenix Piestawa Peak, almost one-third (32%) favored the name change, and 28% felt that Squaw Peak should not have been renamed. In Maricopa County, where Piestawa Peak is located, among those with an opinion, support for renaming Squaw Peak was evenly divided with 51% in favor of the name change and 49% opposed. Support and opposition for changing the name to Piestewa Peak was highly partisan. Democrats and self-identified political liberals were most supportive; Republicans and self-identified conservatives were least supportive.

When those opposed to the name change were asked an open-ended question to determine why they were opposed, 24% said they liked the name Squaw Peak and wanted to keep it, 15% said changing the name slighted other veterans, 16% felt the name change was just political correctness, 19% said they didn't like the way the governor handled the situation, 4% said the five-year waiting period should have been honored, 4% said Piestewa was not deserving, and 18% gave other responses.

Governor Janet Napolitano continued to receive high marks for the job she is doing as Arizona's governor. Sixty-six percent (66%) rated her performance excellent (15%) or good (51%). Twenty percent (20%) rated it as poor (13%), or very poor (7%); 14% had no opinion. Among those with an opinion, 77% rated the job the governor is doing excellent (18%) or good (59%).

The governor's job performance rating has declined since our last poll a month ago. Among those with an opinion in March, 91% rated it excellent (24%) or good (67%). In the last month the governor's positive rating among those with an opinion dropped 14% to 77%. An open-ended question asking why those giving the governor a negative rating did so determined that about one third (37%) of her negative ratings were due to the Squaw Peak controversy.

Finally, a majority of Arizona voters felt there is too much emphasis being placed on political correctness these days. Sixty-two percent (62%) said there is too much emphasis, 21% said the amount of emphasis is about right, 7% said there needs to be more emphasis placed on political correctness and 10% said they didn't have an opinion. Again, people's party affiliation and conservative-liberal orientation were the only two things that showed meaningful difference regarding how people felt about political correctness. Republicans (78%) were more likely than either Democrats (59%) or political independents (68%) to feel there is too much emphasis on political correctness. Self-identified political conservatives (78%) and moderates (69%) were more likely than liberals (56%) to feel there is too much emphasis on political correctness.

The statewide poll of 586 registered voters has a sampling error of plus or minus 4.0%. Fifty-one percent (51%) of those interviewed were female, 49% male. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of the interviews were conducted in Maricopa County, 18% in Pima County, and 25% in the less populated counties. The sample consisted of 42% Republicans, 36% Democrats and 22% independents.

Q1. Would you rate the job Janet Napolitano is doing as governor of Arizona as

1. excellent	15%	(18)
2. good	51	(59)
3. poor or	13	(15)
4. very poor?	7	(8)
5. no opinion	14
	100%