Poll: Only 34 percent of Californians approve of Pelosi's performance

A poll released over the weekend shows that only 34 percent of Californians approve of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) job performance, down 14 points from March.

The study, conducted by the Field Research Corportation, also showed that 44 percent of respondents disapproved of her job performance while 22 percent held no opinion. In the organization's last poll in March, 48 percent of respondents approved of Pelosi's job performance while 35 percent disapproved. 

Democrats approved of Pelosi's performance as leader by a count of 51-23, with 26 percent expressing no opinion. Republicans overwhelmingly disapproved of her performance: 7 percent approved, 79 percent disapproved and 14 percent said they held no opinion.

39 percent of "non-partisans" approved of her while 37 percent disapproved, with 24 percent responding that they had no opinion.

Pelosi's job approval had sunk to similar lows in October and December 2007 during President George W. Bush's second term.

In the last seven months, the House of Representatives has taken on a number of big-ticket issues. The lower chamber passed a cap-and-trade energy bill and has drafted sweeping healthcare reform legislation that includes a controversial public health insurance option.

The economic stimulus bill was signed into law in February but critics of the legislation have pointed to high unemployment as a sign the bill has failed to achieve its goals. Democratic leaders and the Obama administration have defended the measure's role in stabilizing the economic downturn. 

The study polled 1,005 Californians by phone from Sept. 18 to Oct. 5.