As Utah’s part-time legislators begin their annual 45-day session Monday, residents give them and Gov. Gary Herbert surprisingly high job approval in a new poll — maybe because federal chaos in Washington makes them look good by comparison.
Utah voters give thumbs up to the Legislature’s performance by a margin of 60 percent to 31 percent, or 2-to-1. That is vastly higher than a poll two years ago, when a plurality of Utahns actually gave lawmakers failing marks — by a 39-43 margin.
Voters gave Herbert even better grades — approving his job performance by a 73-21 margin, according to a poll by The Salt Lake Tribune and the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah.