"The Illegal-Donor Loophole" is the headline of a Daily Beast story by Peter Schweizer of the conservative Government Accountability Institute and Peter Boyer, former reporter at The New Yorker and The New York Times.
When John F. Kennedy ran for the presidency in 1960, many considered his Catholic faith a total disqualifier. Now fewer than half of voters regard a candidate’s religious beliefs as important at all to how they will vote, much less the deciding factor.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Likely U.S. Voters now rate a candidate’s religious faith as important to their vote, while slightly more (51%) do not.
These figures include only 19% for whom the faith of a candidate is Very Important. That’s down 16 points, though, from 35% in November 2006. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 3-4, 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.
Thirty-eight percent (38%) 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, October 7.
That’s up a point from 37% the week before and is the highest level of optimism since June 2009. The latest finding is up 14 points from 24% at the beginning of the year and up 22 points from 16% a year ago.
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 then regularly tracked in the high 20s to low 30s until the week of September 3-9.
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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen October 1-7, 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.
Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are now tied in the swing state of New Hampshire.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in New Hampshire shows both candidates earning 48% of the vote. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate, and one percent (1%) is undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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This New Hampshire survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on October 9, 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.
President Obama maintains a slight edge over Mitt Romney in Wisconsin.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Badger State finds Obama with 51% support, while Romney picks up 49% of the vote. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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This Wisconsin survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on October 9, 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.
President Obama still earns more than 50% support against Mitt Romney in Pennsylvania.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Pennsylvania Voters shows the president with 51% of the vote to Romney’s 46%. One percent (1%) likes another candidate, and another one percent (1%) remains undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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This Pennsylvania survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on October 9, 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.
President Obama continues to hold an 11-point lead over Mitt Romney in New Mexico.
The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of New Mexico Likely Voters shows the president with 54% of the vote to Romney’s 43%. Two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate, and two percent (2%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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This New Mexico survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on October 8, 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.
Voters again trust Mitt Romney slightly more than President Obama on five major issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports. The widest gap in trust continues to be the economy where Romney has a seven-point lead.
The latest national telephone survey finds that 50% of Likely U.S. Voters trust Romney more than the president when it comes to handling the economy, the issue that remains number one among voters as Election Day approaches. Forty-three percent (43%) trust the president more. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 7-8, 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.
We live in the Divided Era of American politics. Nearly equal numbers of people are now on the side of almost every political issue. This phenomenon of partisanship is neither accidental nor temporary. Throughout all of history, the larger the stakes the more divided a people and the larger the government, the larger the stakes. This year, the presidential election is taking America to new partisan heights.
President Obama tanked in the last debate. Good.
Now maybe people will listen when Mitt Romney says things like, "The genius of America is the free enterprise system, and freedom, and the fact that people can go out there and start a business. ... The private market and individual responsibility always work best."
Incumbent Republican Dean Heller still holds a small lead over his Democratic challenger, Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, in Nevada’s hotly contested U.S. Senate race.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Nevada Voters shows Heller earning 48% support to Berkley’s 45%. Three percent (3%) like some other candidate, and four percent (4%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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This Nevada survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on October 8, 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.
Most Americans say there are too many lawyers in the United States and that's it a bad thing most members of Congress are lawyers.
A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that 60% of American Adults say there are too may lawyers in America. Just 13% say there are not enough lawyers, but 14% say there are just the right amount. Another 13% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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This survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on September 30-October 1, 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.
President Obama continues to lead Mitt Romney in Connecticut.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the state finds Obama with 51% support to 45% for Romney. One percent (1%) prefers some other candidate, and three percent (3%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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This Connecticut survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on October 7, 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.
The bailouts still rankle a lot of car buyers. More Americans than ever are more likely to buy a Ford because it's made by the one Big Three automaker who didn't take a federal government bailout. By the same measure, most Americans are still unlikely to buy a General Motors product.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of American Adults say the fact that Ford did not take bailout money makes them more likely to buy a Ford car. Only eight percent (8%) say that makes them less likely to buy Ford, while 32% say the bailout has no impact on their buying decisions. (To see survey question wording, click here).
Win an iPad: The Rasmussen Challenge! This week's entries will be accepted until 11:59pm ET on Wednesday, October 10.
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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on October 4-5, 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.
President Obama and Mitt Romney are now tied in Nevada.
The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Nevada Voters shows both candidates with 47% support. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate, and three percent (3%) more are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Nevada was conducted on October 8, 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.
Despite his stumbling debate performance, President Obama is still considered the favorite in the race for the White House.
Fifty-five percent (55%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe that regardless of who they want to win, Obama is most likely to win the presidential election this year. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 35% think his Republican challenger Mitt Romney is the most likely winner. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 5-6, 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.
"It's not easy to debate a liar," complained an email from one observer of the first presidential debate -- and there was no question about which candidate he meant. Prevarication, falsification, fabrication are all familiar tactics that have been employed by Mitt Romney without much consequence to him ever since he entered public life, thanks to the inviolable taboo in the mainstream media against calling out a liar (unless, of course, he lies about sex).
Democratic Congressman Chris Murphy has now moved to five-point lead over Republican businesswoman Linda McMahon in Connecticut’s U.S. Senate race.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Connecticut Voters shows Murphy with 51% of the vote, while McMahon earns 46% support. Two percent (2%) favor another candidate in the race, and one percent (1%) is undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The two candidates met in their first debate late Sunday morning. This poll was conducted later that day.
Additionally, Murphy’s lead is largely derived from “leaners.” These are people who initially indicate no preference for either of the candidates but indicate they are leaning towards one candidate when asked a follow-up question. Without leaners, it’s Murphy 46% and McMahon 45%. This is consistent with the notion that the state’s underlying Democratic tilt will help Murphy in the final analysis.
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This Connecticut survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on October 7, 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.
It can't be by accident that Obama campaign adviser Robert Gibbs made the Sunday talk-show rounds using the word "masterful" to describe Mitt Romney's performance at the presidential debate. True, President Obama looked tired, while Romney was brimming with old ideas. But Romney's master-of-the-universe act was not universally admired. It will be turned on him.
Democrats now lead Republicans by one point on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending October 7, 2012.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 43% would choose the Republican instead.
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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from October 1-7, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
