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September 21, 2012

51% in Wisconsin Approve of Governor Walker's Job Performance

Wisconsin voters are almost evenly divided over how the governor they almost removed from office is doing these days. A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Wisconsin Voters finds that 51% at least somewhat approve of Governor Scott Walker's job performance, including 41% who Strongly Approve. But 49% disapprove, with Strong Disapproval from 41%. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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This Wisconsin survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on September 17, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

September 21, 2012

Pennsylvania: Obama 51%, Romney 39%

President Obama has jumped to a double-digit lead over Mitt Romney in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Pennsylvania shows Obama with 51% of the vote to Romney’s 39%. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate in the race, and seven percent (7%) remain undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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This Pennsylvania survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on September 19, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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September 21, 2012

Economy Continues to Top List of Most Important Issues

The economy remains by far the top issue on voters’ minds as the November elections near. Health care and government corruption are a distant second on a list of 10 top issues regularly surveyed by Rasmussen Reports.

A new national telephone survey finds that 80% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the economy as Very Important to how they will vote in the next election. That's consistent with regular tracking since January 2008. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters each were conducted on September 13-14 and 17-18, 2012 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.

September 21, 2012

46% Expect Romney, GOP To Cut Spending, Not So Sure on Taxes

Voters continue to think tax and spending hikes are more likely under President Obama and the Democrats than under President Romney and the Republicans. But most still don’t expect tax cuts if the GOP wins the White House and Congress, although spending cuts are now viewed as more likely.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% of Likely U.S. Voters think government spending will go up if Obama is reelected and Democrats win control of the entire Congress. Only 11% believe spending will go down, while 31% say it will stay about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on September 19-20, 2012 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.

September 21, 2012

Wisconsin Senate: Baldwin (D) 49%, Thompson (R) 46%

Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin now has a slight lead over former Republican Governor Tommy Thompson in Wisconsin’s volatile U.S. Senate race.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Wisconsin Voters finds Baldwin with 49% support to Thompson’s 46%. Two percent (2%) like some other candidate in the race, and four percent (4%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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This Wisconsin survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on September 17, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

September 21, 2012

Wisconsin Senate: Baldwin (D) 49%, Thompson (R) 46%

Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin now has a slight lead over former Republican Governor Tommy Thompson in Wisconsin’s volatile U.S. Senate race.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Wisconsin Voters finds Baldwin with 49% support to Thompson’s 46%. Two percent (2%) like some other candidate in the race, and four percent (4%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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This Wisconsin survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on September 17, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

September 21, 2012

Romney May Be the End of the Line for the Republican Establishment By Scott Rasmussen

Mitt Romney's comments about 47 percent of Americans being dependent on government and locked in to vote for President Obama highlight a fundamental reality in American politics today...

September 20, 2012

47% Say Their Home is Worth More Than What They Owe

Fewer than half of the nation’s homeowners continue to report that their home is worth more than what they still owe on the mortgage. Overall attitudes about the housing market remain relatively pessimistic.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of U.S. Homeowners shows that 47% report their home is worth more than what they owe on their mortgage. Thirty-nine percent (39%) say their home is not worth more than what they still owe, while 14% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 749 Homeowners nationwide was conducted on September 16-17, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

September 20, 2012

Iowa: Romney 47%, Obama 44%

Mitt Romney remains slightly ahead in the swing state of Iowa.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Iowa Voters shows Romney with 47% support to President Obama’s 44%. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate in the race, and five percent (5%) are still undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Iowa was conducted on September 19, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

September 20, 2012

Nevada: Obama 47%, Romney 45%

President Obama now leads Mitt Romney by just two points in the increasingly close presidential race in Nevada.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Nevada shows the president drawing 47% of the vote to Romney’s 45%. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and three percent (3%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Nevada was conducted on September 18, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

September 20, 2012

Wisconsin: Obama 49%, Romney 46%

President Obama has regained a slight edge over Mitt Romney in Wisconsin’s presidential race.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Badger State finds Obama with 49% support to Romney’s 46%. Two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate, while another two percent (2%) are undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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This Wisconsin survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on September 17, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

September 20, 2012

64% Think Too Many Americans Dependent on Government Financial Aid

Americans strongly believe that there is too much government dependency in the country today. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% of Adults think there are too many Americans dependent on the government for financial aid. Just 10% think not enough Americans are dependent on the government, while 16% say the level of dependency is about right.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 18-19, 2012 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.

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September 20, 2012

Obama's First Term Is Like Roosevelt's Dismal Second By Michael Barone

People, not least himself, have often compared Barack Obama to Franklin D. Roosevelt. You know the narrative. He came to office in a financial crisis and proceeded to take government action to revive the economy and expand government to help the little guy.

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September 20, 2012

When Blue-collar Whites Turned Republican By Froma Harrop

Liberals strain to understand why so many blue-collar whites have made their home in the Republican Party. Yes, the GOP better connects with this group on social and lifestyle levels. Still, with working people under so much economic strain these days, it seems odd that they'd let a culture war centered on emotion trump their bread-and-butter concerns.

September 20, 2012

Nevada Senate: Heller (R) 42%, Berkley (D) 41%

Nevada’s U.S. Senate race is now a virtual tie.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Nevada Voters finds incumbent Republican Dean Heller with 42% support, while his challenger, Democratic Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, gets 41% support. Four percent (4%) like some other candidate in the race, and a sizable 12% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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This Nevada survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on September 18, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

September 19, 2012

35% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-five percent (35%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, September 16.

That’s down two points from 37% the week before, the highest level of optimism since late June 2009, but is still the highest weekly finding since early April 2010.

From July 25 through December 11 of last year, voter confidence in the nation's current course resembled levels measured in the final months of the George W. Bush administration, remaining in the narrow range of 14% to 19%. That finding began climbing in early January of this year to a high of 34% in the second week of February and had been in the high 20s to low 30s in weekly tracking until two weeks ago.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen September 10-16, 2012. 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.

September 19, 2012

44% Fear Government Will Do Too Much to Help Economy, 44% Say Not Enough

Voters nationwide remain evenly divided in their concerns about the government’s reaction to economic problems, but most still agree the best solution is to cut government spending.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 44% are more worried that the federal government will try to do too much in reacting to the nation’s current economic problems. But just as many (44%) fear the government will not do enough in response to those problems. Twelve percent (12%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on September 15-16, 2012 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.

September 19, 2012

66% Oppose Teacher Strikes During Union Negotiations

As the Chicago teachers strike comes to a close, voters strongly believe the teachers should have kept working while their union contract was being negotiated.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 25% of Likely U.S. Voters think it is appropriate for the teachers to go on strike at this time. Sixty-six percent (66%) believe the teachers should stay on their jobs while a new union contract is being negotiated. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 17-18, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error 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.

September 19, 2012

New Hampshire: Romney 48%, Obama 45%

Mitt Romney has now taken the lead in the swing state of New Hampshire.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in New Hampshire shows Romney with 48% support to President Obama’s 45%. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and three percent (3%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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This New Hampshire survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on September 18, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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September 19, 2012

More Than 200,000 Now Follow Rasmussen Reports on Twitter

Yesterday, the number of people following Rasmussen Reports on Twitter topped the 200,000 mark, doubling our audience in just 16 months. A following of this size further establishes Rasmussen Reports as a rapidly growing influence on the social media scene.  You can join this growing list at twitter.com/Rasmussen_Poll.