After 6 months, how would you rate governor?

Ducey’s ratings on pandemic handling down from spring

We’re essentially six months into the COVID-19 pandemic in Arizona. Our schools closed in mid-March, and Gov. Doug Ducey issued a statewide “stayat-home” order that took effect March 31.

Since that point, we’ve had a variety of ups and downs on this journey.

The governor has issued a variety of executive orders during that time frame, impacting everything from schools to businesses and more.

Now that we’ve had six months to exist in this

COVID-19 world, what do you think of how the governor has handled the crisis thus far?

According to a recent poll, many Arizonans aren’t thrilled about his response.

A survey by the COVID-19 Consortium for Understanding the Public’s Policy Preference Across states found just 30% of Arizonans say they approve or strongly approve of how Ducey is handling the pandemic, Capitol Media Services reports.

The survey was done from Aug. 7-26.

In late April and early May, the consortium found Ducey’s positive ratings in the upper 50% range, Capitol Media Services notes.

A separate poll, done by OH Predictive Insights, found the governor’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic “had positive ratings in the upper 50% range in April and June. That slid to 35% in July, rising to 41% in August,” Capitol Media Services reports.

The poll numbers have been on a bit of a roller coaster, but so too have Arizonans as they navigate the pandemic. There have been a number of executive orders – closures, openings and then closures again – and there has been confusion alongside of those orders. What establishments can be open and how? And when do people need to wear masks? And who is enforcing all this?

The messaging wasn’t always consistent, and that likely impacted the governor’s poll numbers.

The passage of time has also likely been a factor. We’re six months in, and “coronavirus fatigue” is a legitimate issue – people are tired of hearing about it, and eventually, repetitive messages fall on deaf ears.

Today, the efforts by state and local officials combined with the efforts of Yumans who followed restrictions appear to be working.

As a reminder, here are the positive case numbers and COVID-19 deaths in Yuma County:

• On Sept. 1, there had been a total of 12,249 cases and 321 deaths.

• On Aug. 1, there had been a total of 11,084 cases and 260 deaths

• On July 1, there had been a total of 6,498 and 98 deaths

• On June 1, there had been a total of 1,289 and 17 deaths.

• On May 1, there had been a total of 94 confirmed cases and 1 death.

• On April 1, there had been a total of 13 cases and zero deaths.

When thinking about the governor’s performance during this crisis, one has to weigh his actions with the subsequent results. What would have happened without his actions? Would the statistics have been worse or better? One also has to consider the impact on the economy and education, too.

Given all those factors and what you know at this moment, Yuma, how would you rate the governor’s performance thus far in regards to COVID-19? Let us know – send in a Letter to the Editor at letters@yumasun. com.

Unsigned editorials represent the viewpoint of this newspaper rather than an individual. Columns and letters to the editor represent the viewpoints of the persons writing them and do not necessarily represent the views of the Yuma Sun.