Poll: Minnesotans not thrilled about home state 2012 presidential hopefuls

Just 28 percent of Minnesota voters think former Gov. Tim Pawlenty should seek the White House, and just 14 percent think Rep. Michele Bachmann should run for president, according to a new Public Policy Polling survey.

Of the Republicans surveyed, 57 percent said they thought Pawlenty should run for president. And more GOP Minnesota voters want Bachmann to run for Senate than president: 43 percent compared to 26 percent, according to the poll.

The poll shows a majority of Minnesota voters, 51 percent, approve of the way Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton is handling his job while 38 percent disapprove. Just 12 percent of Republicans said they approved of Dayton's job performance.

Less then one third of Minnesota voters, 32 percent, favor a 'cuts only' solution to the state budget problem, while 63 percent said they supported raising taxes on the state's wealthiest 2 percent of earners, according to the poll.

The state is divided on the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage: 47 percent oppose it compared to 46 percent who favor it, according to the poll.

Public Policy Polling says it contacted 1,179 Minnesota voters between May 27 and May 30 for its poll which has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.

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