Missouri GOP Pollster: Nixon Kicked off 2011 With 61% Approval Rating

Someone needs to tweet harder:

A leading GOP pollster employed by the Missouri Republican Party found Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon's job approval rating to be at 61 percent to start the year.

The survey, which was conducted on behalf of an issues-advocacy group and obtained by POLITICO, demonstrates Nixon's formidable political position more than 20 months before he asks Show-Me State voters for a second term.

The fact that the polling was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, which counts the Missouri GOP as one of its clients, makes the data considerably more difficult for Republicans to disparage.

It also found that Nixon's 61 percent job approval is up 17 points since February 2009.  Just 26 percent of the 600 registered voters polled disapproved of Nixon's tenure.  Of the 61 percent approving, 13 percent strongly approved of the governor...

Nixon was the only politician tested in the survey, which predominantly focused on a narrow issue in Missouri.  The poll included 31 percent Republicans, 29 percent Democrats and 36 percent independents and was taken between Jan. 23-25.