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27% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Twenty-seven percent (27%) of Likely U.S. Voters now think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending April 30.

Support for More Border Control Hits Four-Year High

A growing number of voters consider illegal immigration a serious problem and believe controlling the border is the most important thing the government can do, even if using the military is necessary.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending May 2, 2015

Hillary Clinton finally has an official opponent for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016.

Longtime Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a self-proclaimed socialist, is jumping into the race. Sanders earned just seven percent (7%) support among Likely Democratic Voters when we asked in early March, but that was before the politicking began. We’ll test Sanders with voters nationwide early next week.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 40%, Democrats 38%

Republicans hold a two-point lead on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending April 30 finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican candidate in their district's congressional race if the election were held today, while 38% would choose the Democrat instead. Twenty-three percent (23%) prefer a third-party candidate or are undecided.

Obama’s Full-Month Approval Dips a Point in April

When tracking President Obama’s job approval on a daily basis, people sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations that they miss the bigger picture. To look at the longer-term trends, Rasmussen Reports compiles the numbers on a full-month basis, and the results can be seen in the graphics below.

Voters Still Don't Like Congress' Top Leaders

They've all been reelected several times, but the four top congressional leaders remain an unpopular choice among voters nationwide.

Voters Are Less Supportive of Raising Eligibility Age For Medicare

Voters continue to doubt they’ll receive all their promised Medicare benefits, but they're less willing to raise the eligibility age to keep the program afloat.

26% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

The number of voters who think the country is heading in the right direction has fallen to its lowest level since mid-December. 

Twenty-six percent (26%) of Likely U.S. Voters now think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending April 23. 

This finding is down six points from 32% the week before and down from 29% for the three weeks prior to that. The previous low for the year was 27% in mid-March. In January and February, 30% or more of voters said the country was heading in the right direction after generally being in the mid- to high 20s since mid-June 2013.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 

The national telephone survey of 2,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from April 19-23, 2015. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Crosstabs and historical data are available to Platinum Members only.

Voters Call for More Insurance Options Than Health Care Law Allows

Most voters still don’t like Obamacare and want more freedom in their health insurance choices than the law currently gives them.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of Likely U.S. Voters view the national health care law unfavorably, with 37% who have a Very Unfavorable opinion of it. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 42% regard the law favorably, including 19% with a Very Favorable view. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).  Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 23 and 26, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.0 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending April 25, 2015

Only 37% of Likely U.S. Voters think America’s best days are still to come. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for the nation’s future.

Surprisingly, that’s the highest level of “optimism” in two years. But 45% still think the country’s best days have already come and gone. Consider, too, that even in January 2004, just over two years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, 48% still felt America’s best days were in the future, and only 35% believed they had already passed us by.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 39%, Democrats 38%

Republicans have a one-point lead on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending April 23 finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican candidate in their district's congressional race if the election were held today, while 38% would choose the Democrat instead. Twenty-two percent (22%) prefer a third-party candidate or are undecided.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 

The national telephone survey of 2,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from April 19-23, 2015. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Voters Are Slightly More Confident in the Days Ahead

Voters are a bit more optimistic about the future, but they still want less government in their lives.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 37% of Likely U.S. Voters now think America’s best days are in the future, up five points from January and the highest level of optimism in more than two years. But 45% still think the country’s best days have already come and gone.  Eighteen percent (18%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national telephone survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on April 13-14, 2015. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

32% Say U.S Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-two percent (32%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending April 16. 

This finding is up three points from 29% the previous three weeks. The number of voters who think the country is heading in the right direction has been 30% or higher most weeks since mid-December after generally being in the mid- to high 20s since mid-June 2013.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 

The national telephone survey of 2,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from April 12-16, 2015. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Crosstabs and historical data are available to Platinum Members only.

Voters See Growing Rift Between America and Islamic World

The number of voters who believe terrorists are winning the fight against the United States and its allies continues to grow, while views of Muslims in general and U.S. relations with the Islamic world have worsened.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 29% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the United States and its allies are winning the War on Terror. That’s down from the 33% measured in March, but still above findings for most of last year. But now 39% think the terrorists are winning the war, up from 33% in the previous survey and the highest level of pessimism since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. Twenty-five percent (25%) say neither side is winning. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).  Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 15-16, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending April 18, 2015

For the majority of Americans, the five-letter word “taxes” is dirtier than most words of the four-letter variety.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 39%, Democrats 39%

Republicans and Democrats are tied on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending April 16 finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican candidate in their district's congressional race if the election were held today, while another 39% would choose the Democrat instead. Twenty-three percent (23%) prefer a third-party candidate or are undecided.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 

The national telephone survey of 2,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from April 12-16, 2015. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Demographic details and trends for this survey are available for Platinum Members only.

Most Still Favor Parental Choice in Schools

Voters remain critical of the nation’s public schools and still strongly favor giving parents choices when it comes to their children's education. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 29% of Likely U.S.Voters rate the performance of public schools in America today as good or excellent, while just as many (30%) rate it poorly. These attitudes have changed little in regular surveys since 2012. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 7-8, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

29% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending April 9. 

This finding is unchanged from the previous two weeks. Three weeks ago, 27% felt the country was heading in the right direction, the lowest level of confidence this year. The number of voters who think the country is heading in the right direction has been 30% or higher most weeks since mid-December after generally being in the mid- to high 20s since mid-June 2013.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 

The national telephone survey of 2,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from April 5-9, 2015. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Voters See Quality of Health Care Going Down

Voters are increasingly critical of the health care they get and predict it will get even worse under the new national health care law.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 70% of Likely U.S. Voters still rate the quality of the health care they receive as good or excellent. That’s down just one point from January but is the lowest finding in nearly two-and-a-half years of regular surveying. These positives have generally run in the high 70s and low 80s for most of this period but have been trending down since the first of the year.

Only six percent (6%), however, rate the care they get as poor, consistent with findings in past surveys. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on April 9 and 12, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending April 11, 2015

If news reports are to be believed, Hillary Clinton will finally make it official this weekend and formally declare her candidacy for president of the United States.