This week, a new poll from High Point University found out something that’s not likely to surprise anyone. Namely, people aren’t happy with things and aren’t big fans of current political leadership.

In the poll, 66 percent of North Carolinians said the country is on the wrong track, while 25 percent of those same respondents said the country is headed in the right direction. Only 9 percent didn’t offer an opinion.

Those polled gave President Joe Biden a job approval rating of only 34 percent. The same data showed that more than half of North Carolina residents – 53 percent – said they disapprove of the job the president is doing.

NC Gov. Roy Cooper didn’t come out smelling like roses either. The university’s poll found that he currently has a job approval rating of 44 percent with state residents – while 33 percent said they disapprove and 23 percent didn’t offer an opinion of the governor’s job performance either way.

Also, when North Carolinians were asked about the US Congress, they gave a job approval rating of 21 percent, while 58 percent said they disapprove and 21 percent didn’t state an opinion.

When it comes to Cooper on particular issues, a slight majority of residents – 51 percent approved of his handling of COVID-19.

But that’s as good as it got for the governor on specific issues asked about. Less than half of respondents said they approved of his handling of voting rights (49 percent). The same goes for highway maintenance and construction (46 percent), school safety (44 percent), abortion (34 percent) and taxes (33 percent).

The governor’s handling of two issues in particular came in very low – his handling of gas prices (29 percent) and of inflation (25 percent).

If you haven’t noticed, prices of just about everything have been going up lately. The poll also asked survey respondents if they have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of a variety of political leaders.

Brian McDonald, an adjunct instructor at High Point University who is the associate director of the poll, said one thing that stood out is that a lot of state residents weren’t familiar with the leaders asked about.

“While the poll indicates how favorable respondents are feeling these days, it’s also apparent that many are unsure or unfamiliar with several of them,” McDonald said.

When asked about the favorability of particular political leaders, here’s how the approval ratings broke down …

• Cooper – 49 percent

• NC Lieutenant Gov. Mark Robinson only received 19 percent favorability, though a majority of the responders, 60 percent, said that they “are either unsure or not familiar with this person.”

• Donald Trump – 43 percent

• The US. Supreme Court – 41 percent

• Joe Biden – 38 percent

• Kamala Harris – 36 percent

• Mike Pence – 35 percent.

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