According to a new poll from Rasmussen Reports, 64 percent of Virginia voters approve of Gov. Bob McDonnell’s job performance.

The breakdown: 29 percent strongly approve of the Republican governor’s performance and 35 percent somewhat approve.

“These positive numbers reflect the governor’s success over his first six months in office — closing a historic budget shortfall without raising taxes on hardworking Virginians, working to reduce state spending, and creating new jobs and more opportunities for Virginians,” said spokeswoman Stacey Johnson.

Twenty percent somewhat disapprove and 13 percent strongly disapprove, the poll said.

The survey of 500 likely voters was conducted July 18, and has a margin of error of +/- 4.5 percentage points.

As with a poll released last week by Virginia Commonwealth University, the Rasmussen poll broke largely along party lines: 80 percent of Republicans approve of the governor’s job performance, 68 percent of voters not affiliated with either Democrats or Republicans approve, and 54 percent of Democrats disapprove, according to the Rasmussen poll.

A Rasmussen poll conducted in February showed that 65 percent “as least somewhat” approved of the job McDonnell is doing as governor.