Apr 11, 2017

Chris Christie is the least popular governor in the U.S.

Shane Savitsky

Jeff Fusco / AP for Hard Rock International

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is the least popular governor in America according to Morning Consult's Governor Approval Rankings, adding insult to injury after a brutal 2016 that included a failed presidential run and subsequent brushoff from the incoming Trump administration.

Winning trends: Two of the most popular governors — Charlie Baker of Massachusetts and Larry Hogan of Maryland — are Republicans in blue states known for their willingness to enact bipartisan measures, showing that reaching across the aisle still can have a positive resonance with voters.

Losing trends: Two of the least popular governors — Republican Sam Brownback of Kansas and Democrat Dannel Malloy of Connecticut — have found their states facing revenue shortfalls after they enacted sweeping and controversial economic policies from their respective ends of the political spectrum.

Most popular governors:

  1. Charlie Baker (MA): +58%
  2. Larry Hogan (MD): +57%
  3. Doug Burgum (ND): +53%

Least popular governors:

  1. Chris Christie (NJ): -46%
  2. Sam Brownback (KS): -39%
  3. Dannel Malloy (CT): -37%

Other big names:

  • Jerry Brown (CA): +24%
  • Rick Scott (FL): +21%
  • Andrew Cuomo (NY): +31%
  • John Kasich (OH): +26%
  • Terry McAuliffe (VA): +21%
  • Scott Walker (WI): -5%

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Axios

Situational awareness

Photo: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Catch up on today's biggest news:

  1. Mike Bloomberg offers to release women from 3 NDAs
  2. Wells Fargo to pay $3 billion to settle consumer abuse charges
  3. Bloomberg campaign says Tennessee vandalism "echoes language" from Bernie supporters
  4. Scoop: New White House personnel chief tells Cabinet liaisons to target Never Trumpers
  5. Nearly half of Republicans support pardoning Roger Stone
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Orion Rummler

Wells Fargo agrees to pay $3 billion to settle consumer abuse charges

Clients use an ATM at a Wells Fargo Bank in Los Angeles, Calif. Photo: Ronen Tivony/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Wells Fargo agreed to a pay a combined $3 billion to the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday for opening millions of fake customer accounts between 2002 and 2016, the SEC said in a press release.

The big picture: The fine "is among the largest corporate penalties reached during the Trump administration," the Washington Post reports.

Go deeperArrow41 mins ago - Economy & Business
Fadel Allassan

Bloomberg offers to release women from 3 nondisclosure agreements

Mike Bloomberg. Photo: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Mike Bloomberg said Friday his company will release women identified to have signed three nondisclosure agreements so they can publicly discuss their allegations against him if they wish.

Why it matters, via Axios' Margaret Talev: Bloomberg’s shift in policy toward NDAs comes as he tries to stanch his loss of female support after the Las Vegas debate. It is an effort to separate the total number of harassment and culture complaints at the large company from those directed at him personally. That could reframe the criticism against him, but also protect the company from legal fallout if all past NDAs were placed in jeopardy.

Go deeperArrow49 mins ago - Politics & Policy