Independent polling conducted after Gov. Ned Lamont’s reelection kickoff found Connecticut voters give him a solid approval rating, but a significant minority are “indifferent or neutral” about him serving a third term.

A Nutmeg State Poll released Monday by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center found voters approve of his performance by a margin of 55% to 38%, a net approval rating of +17, virtually unchanged since September.

Lamont’s challenger for the Democratic nomination, Rep. Josh Elliott of Hamden, barely made an impression among likely Democratic voters after four months of campaigning. Nearly 80% had no opinion of him, while 69% had a favorable opinion of the two-term governor.

If a Democratic primary were held today, the poll found Lamont outpolling Elliott, 55% to 7%, with 37% undecided and 2% saying they would write in someone else.

The data released Monday offered no matchups between Lamont and either of the two Republican candidates, Sen. Ryan Fazio of Greenwich or former Mayor Erin Stewart of New Britain.

Overall, 34% of voters were enthusiastic (11%) or satisfied (23%) about Lamont’s candidacy for a third term, while 31% were dissatisfied (21%) or angry (10%), 28% indifferent or neutral, and 6% unsure.

Among Democratic voters, the poll found little evidence of the dissatisfaction that liberal Democratic lawmakers have expressed about Lamont over his refusal to embrace a more progressive tax code or higher spending.

Eighty-seven percent of self-described liberals, 76% of progressives and 63% of moderates had favorable opinions of Lamont. Forty-eight percent of socialists had a favorable opinion, but only 15% of socialists were negative.

Asked to name the most important problems facing Connecticut, the cost of living was named by 22%, following by taxes (18%), housing (15%), jobs and the economy (10%) and immigration (5%). Four percent mentioned national issues or the federal government.

The poll was conducted from Nov. 12 to 17 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5% percent on questions posed to all voters and 6.5% on questions posed only to likely Democratic voters.

The survey is based on “a probability-based web panel” recruited by phone, text-to-web, or mail-to-web surveys sent to randomly chosen individuals.