Gov. Charlie Crist's job approval ratings have dropped to an all-time low for him --  44 percent -- and represent the lowest posted by a Florida governor in 16 years, according to a new Mason-Dixon poll. This is the first time Crist's job performance has dropped below 50 percent.

The Mason-Dixon poll found the Gulf oil spill is not helping the images of the governor or President Barack Obama, with their job performance ratings among Floridians dropping "significantly'' over the past three months.

Statewide, only 41 percent of Florida voters rate Obama's job performance as "excellent'' or "good''  -- down from 47 percent -- and 59 percent rate it as "fair'' or "poor" --   up from 53 percent.

Pollster Brad Coker said their declines are "primarily the result of the sour view that Floridians have about the current economy and their skeptical outlook on its future.''

Statewide, only 36 percent believe the country is on the right track, and just 37 percent believe the state is on the right track. Most importantly, Coker said, voters do not believe the economic stimulus package has improved the nation's economic situation. Crist's support for the plan "set off the political earthquake that destroyed his chances of winning the Republican Senate primary,'' Coker noted.

Just 31 percent believe the stimulus has improved the economy, while 35 percent say it has hurt it and 27 percent believe it has had no effect.

Crist and Obama also get low marks for their handling of the Gulf oil spill. Only 36 percent said Obama did an excellent or good job handling the spill, while 61 percent rated his handling of it as fair or poor. Only 43 percent rated Crist's performance on the oil spill as excellent or good, while 51 percent rated it as fair or poor.

   -- LESLEY CLARK