Napolitano state’s most popular elected official

Gov. Janet Napolitano’s approval ratings tower above all other statewide elected officials in Arizona, according to the latest Rocky Mountain Poll.

Read Paul Giblin's blog, Checking In

The second-term Democrat garnered a 59 percent approval rating in the statewide survey that was conducted between July 27 and Aug. 4.

By comparison, U.S. Sen. John McCain drew a 42 percent approval rating, while U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl drew a 40 percent approval rating in the same survey. McCain and Kyl are Republicans.

Furthermore, Napolitano would beat McCain in a speculative head-to-head race for the U.S. Senate in 2010, according to the survey. The breakdown: Napolitano 47 percent, McCain 36 percent, undecided 17 percent.

Both Napolitano’s and McCain’s current terms end in 2010. McCain is running for president in 2008, and neither McCain nor Napolitano have publicly discussed the 2010 Senate race.

While Napolitano’s approval ratings exceeded those of other elected officials, they were down from her all-time high of 65 percent in May, according to the survey, which was conducted by the Phoenix-based public opinion firm Behavior Research Center.

The governor’s positive job approval crosses party lines, said Jim Haynes, president of Behavior Research Center.

She drew 76 percent support from Democrats, 51 percent support from independents and 41 percent from Republicans.