The Senate Finance Committee passed its version of health care reform this week, and the legislative battle is moving behind closed doors for a while. But despite all the twists and turns of the past few months, there is little change in public attitudes.
Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Republican voters nationwide say former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is their pick to represent the GOP in the 2012 Presidential campaign. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that 24% prefer former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney while 18% would cast their vote for former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.
Most voters believe some kind of health care reform is needed, but they see the plan emerging from Congress as mostly what Democrats want rather than a truly bipartisan effort. Still, they’re closely divided over whether Republican opposition is just politics as usual or genuinely reflects a concern about the details of the plan.
Thirty-seven percent (37%) of likely Democratic Primary Voters in Pennsylvania are not sure how they will vote when it comes time to select a Democratic Party nominee for governor in 2010.
State Attorney General Tom Corbett has a commanding lead over Congressman Jim Gerlach in the first Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 survey of Pennsylvania’s Republican gubernatorial primary.
Forty-six percent (46%) of U.S. voters have a favorable opinion of Vice President Joseph Biden, even as left-wing doyenne Arianna Huffington suggests he resign if President Obama ignores his advice and sends more troops to Afghanistan.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in New Jersey shows Republican challenger Chris Christie clinging to the lead in a fluid and volatile race that may come down to how many votes independent candidate Chris Daggett gets. Incumbent Democratic Governor Jon Corzine has closed the gap to make the race competitive but still attracts very low levels of support.
So much for Arlen Specter’s party switch to avoid a risky primary. The incumbent Pennsylvania senator’s 2010 Democratic Primary race against challenger Joe Sestak is now a toss-up.
Some experts have argued during the current health care reform debate that behavioral changes are needed before costs will come down in America.
Republican-turned-Democratic Senator Arlen Specter trails potential GOP challenger Pat Toomey by five points in an early look at Pennsylvania's 2010 Senate race. But another Democrat, Joe Sestak, runs dead-even with the likely Republican candidate.
North Carolina is about to become the second state to penalize its employees for being obese, but just 30% of Americans favor making government workers who are overweight pay more for their health insurance.
U.S. voters want aggressive action to restrict illegal immigration, but they don’t think immigrants should bear the brunt of the enforcement efforts on their own. Most say the federal government and those hiring illegal immigrants also need to be brought into the discussion.
Republican Robert F. McDonnell still holds a seven-point lead over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds in the race for Virginia governor.
With Congress considering climate change legislation that many say will have a major impact on the U.S. economy, voters for the first time this year are almost evenly divided when asked if there is a conflict between economic growth and environmental protection.
Forty-four percent (44%) of voters nationwide now favor the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. That’s little changed from a week ago. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 50% are opposed to the plan.
Voters aren’t brimming with confidence that the United States can win the war in Afghanistan, but, despite news reports of a worsening situation there, support for a continued U.S. military presence in the country is unchanged.
President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize yesterday for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," with the award committee citing his push for nuclear disarmament and his outreach to the Muslim world.
Forty-three percent (43%) of likely voters say President Obama is doing a good or excellent job handling national security issues, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
Just 30% of U.S. voters now think President Obama is governing in a bipartisan fashion, down 12 points from late January and the lowest such finding of his presidency.
Most members of the Senate Finance Committee were relieved this week to find that their health care reform plan will cost under $900 billion over the next 10 years and is actually projected to bring the federal deficit down by $81 billion.
