Obama's approval tops 50% in 13 states, DC

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PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 1 (UPI) -- A majority of residents in 13 states and the District of Columbia say they approve of the job President Obama is doing so far this year, Gallup said Wednesday.

Eighty-three percent of residents in the District of Columbia said they approved of Obama's performance in the first six months of 2012, results of the survey released Wednesday indicated.

His highest ratings by state were in Hawaii, with 63 percent, and Rhode Island, with 58 percent.

In 16 states, his approval rating averaged below 40 percent, Gallup said. Residents of Alaska, Wyoming and Utah were the least approving, with 29 percent, 28 percent and 26 percent, respectively, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said.

Rounding out the states where more than 50 percent of residents said they approved of Obama's job performance through June are Vermont, 56 percent; New York, Massachusetts and Maryland, all 55 percent; New Jersey and Connecticut, 53 percent; California, 52 percent; Washington, Illinois and Delaware, 51 percent; and Minnesota, 50 percent.

The 13 states and District of Columbia where majorities approved of Obama's job performance in the first half of 2012 is a slight increase from Obama's 2011 totals, Gallup said.

Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews conducted as part of Gallup Daily tracking Jan. 1-June 30 with 90,766 adults. The margin of error is 1 percentage point.