The Hidden Barrier to A Republican Senate Majority by Kyle Klondik
If Republicans are to win the Senate, they probably are going to have to do something they haven’t done since 1980: beat more than two Democratic Senate incumbents in November.
If Republicans are to win the Senate, they probably are going to have to do something they haven’t done since 1980: beat more than two Democratic Senate incumbents in November.
The fallout from the 2008 Wall Street meltdown continues: Just this week, Attorney General Eric Holder announced the largest civil penalty paid to date by a U.S. bank for illegal dealings in the period prior to the meltdown - $7 billion paid by Citicorp. After Americans’ confidence in the U.S. banking system reached a post-meltdown high in January, it has now fallen back to levels seen for much of the last five years.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 50% of American Adults now are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the nation’s banks, and that includes only nine percent (9%) who are Very Confident. Forty-five percent (45%) are not confident in the banking industry, with 12% who are Not At All Confident. (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 American Adults was conducted on July 14-15, 2014 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.
For the second week in a row, 25% 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 July 13.
That's the lowest finding since the beginning of December. The number who say the country is heading in the right direction has been less than 30% for 20 out of 28 weeks this year.
(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 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on July 7-July 13, 2014. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Homeowners are more confident about their home’s appreciation than they’ve been in several years.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 84% of Adult Homeowners are at least somewhat confident that they know how much their home is worth in the housing market today. Twelve percent (12%) are not. That includes 51% who are Very Confident they know their home’s worth and just three percent (3%) who are Not At All Confident. (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 663 Adult Homeowners was conducted on July 12-13, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
"Tea party members don't think there's a federal role in transportation!" complained Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, last week, near the site of a $5.8 million highway project.
Even as Detroiters vote on a bankruptcy plan that would make major cuts in retired public employee benefits, voters nationwide aren’t overly optimistic about the Motor City’s chances of recovery. There’s less concern, though, that other cities will follow Detroit into bankruptcy.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 37% of American Adults think it is at least somewhat likely that Detroit will emerge from bankruptcy in the next five to 10 years and be a financially stable, well-run city. Forty-six percent (46%) consider that unlikely. This includes just seven percent (7%) who believe it’s Very Likely that Detroit will be back on its feet in the short term and 12% who say it’s Not At All Likely. Sixteen percent (16%) 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 survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on July 10-11, 2014 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. Seemethodology.
As same-sex marriage gains traction in the courts, an increasing number of Americans are voicing support for it.
Nearly half (48%) of Likely U.S. Voters now favor gay marriage, up from a previous high of 45% in regular tracking since last October. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% still oppose gay marriage, while 11% are undecided. (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 July 13-14, 2014 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.
Even with all the latest technological advancements, there’s nothing like curling up with a good book for many Americans.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of American Adults still typically read books in a traditional printed format rather than on an electronic reading device like a Kindle or a Nook. Twenty-two percent (22%) use an e-reader, although that’s been on the rise from just eight percent (8%) in 2011. (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 Adults was conducted on July 10-11, 2014 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.
A record number of homeowners say their home is worth more than what they still owe on it.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% of American homeowners feel the value of their home is now more than what they owe on their mortgage. That’s up four points from 60% in June and is the highest finding in over five years of regular surveying. Twenty-four percent (24%) say their home is not worth more than what they owe, but that's down five points from June and the lowest finding since December. Eleven percent (11%) 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 survey of 663 Adult Homeowners was conducted on July 12-13, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
The flood of underage -- and non-underage -- illegal immigrants from Central America coming across the border in Texas is, to paraphrase a former Obama administration official, a "man-caused disaster." The man who caused it, more than anyone else, is Barack Obama.
Speaking at political fundraisers in Dallas and Austin last week -- he refused to do a "photo-op" on the border, first things first -- Obama placed the blame on House Republicans for not having passed a comprehensive immigration bill as the Democratic-majority Senate did in June 2013.
Michael Barone, senior political analyst at the Washington Examiner, (www.washingtonexaminer.com), where this article first appeared, is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Fox News Channel contributor and a co-author of The Almanac of American Politics. To find out more about Michael Barone, and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2014 THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
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Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker are working on bipartisan legislation to reform the U.S. criminal justice system, in part to reduce the U.S. prison population. But while most voters agree with restoring voting rights to non-violent felons, they are less enthusiastic about requiring all states to raise the minimum age someone can be tried as an adult. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters believe there are too many Americans in prison today. Thirty-one percent (31%) disagree, while 24% 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 13-14, 2014 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.
On behalf of all liberals -- living and dead -- I'd like to apologize to Adam Bellow. In 1976, Bellow was at a Michigan State University writing workshop when a radical feminist publicly rebuked him for saying she had "balls." He says he meant that as a compliment.
Some formative experiences are forged in the hell of war, others in the crucible of writing class.
Attorney General Eric Holder on ABC News this past weekend again raised the idea that opposition to his and President Obama’s agenda is due in part to race. Most voters still don’t see racism playing a big part in that opposition.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 61% of Likely U.S. Voters think people who oppose the president’s policies do so primarily because they believe his policies are bad, not because of racism.
(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 July 11-12, 2014 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.
Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley still has a lot of convincing to do – even in his home state - if he’s going to run for the White House in 2016. Just 15% of Likely Maryland Voters think O’Malley should run for president two years from now. A new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey finds that 62% do not think their two-term governor should run. But nearly one-out-of-four (23%) 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 survey of 750 Likely Voters in Maryland was conducted on July 9-10, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Democrats now hold a one-point lead over Republicans on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending July 13 finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 38% would choose the Republican instead.
Democrats led by three - 41% to 38% - the week before and have been ahead for most weeks this year, with support ranging from 38% to 42%. Support for the GOP has ranged from 35% to 41% since January 1. Republicans led Democrats 39% to 38% a year ago.
(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 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from July 7-July 13, 2014. 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.
Appointed Republican Senator Tim Scott holds a big lead over Democrat Joyce Dickerson in his first election bid for a full Senate term in South Carolina. Scott picks up 53% of the vote to Dickerson’s 31%, according to a new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely South Carolina Voters. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate in the race, while 11% are undecided. (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 750 Likely Voters in South Carolina was conducted on July 9-10, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Critics of President Obama have called for his impeachment and for lawsuits challenging his executive actions, but most voters nix both ideas. Better, they say, to elect an opposition Congress.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 32% of Likely U.S. Voters think President Obama should be impeached and removed from office. Nearly twice as many (58%) disagree and oppose his impeachment. Ten percent (10%) 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 11-12, 2014 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.
Favorable views of the national health care law now tie their low for the year, but more voters than ever say the law has had no impact on them.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 39% of Likely U.S. Voters share a favorable opinion of the health care law, while 54% view it unfavorably. This includes 13% with a Very Favorable opinion and 38% with a Very Unfavorable one. (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 July 11-12, 2014 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.
More voters than ever now say U.S. elections are rigged to favor incumbents and are unfair to voters.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Likely U.S. Voters now say American elections are not fair to voters, up from 46% in April and the highest finding in surveys since 2004. Thirty-nine percent (39%) think elections are fair, but 14% 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 9-10, 2014 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.
Americans are registering a lot of pessimism these days and clearly are wondering what’s going on along the Mexican border.