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March 19, 2012Redistricting Not a Big Story in 2012 By Michael Barone
The 2012 congressional redistricting cycle following the 2010 Census is just about over and done with. And it seems likely to make much less difference than many of us expected.
March 19, 2012Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 44%, Democrats 40%
Republicans hold a four-point lead over Democrats on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, March 18. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 40% would choose the Democrat instead. Last week, the Republican led by six points, 44% to 38%.
(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 March 12-18, 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
                    <img src="https://www.rasmussenreports.com/var/plain/storage/images/_aliases/wide_266/public_content/business/taxes/march_2012/26_willing_to_pay_higher_taxes_to_reduce_federal_deficit/681632-1-eng-US/26_willing_to_pay_higher_taxes_to_reduce_federal_deficit.jpg" />
                
            
                            March 19, 201226% Willing to Pay Higher Taxes To Reduce Federal Deficit
Most voters believe Americans are already overtaxed, but adults are slightly more willing to pay higher taxes to reduce the federal budget deficit.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 26% would be willing to pay higher taxes to help reduce the federal budget deficit. Most (64%) are not willing to pay more in taxes to reduce the deficit. (To see survey question wording, click here).
The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on March 12-13, 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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                            March 19, 2012New High: 47% Confident Fed Can Control Inflation
While voters remain overwhelmingly concerned about inflation and expect to pay more at the grocery store, they have more confidence than ever that the Federal Reserve Board can keep inflation under control.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 47% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident the Fed will be able to keep inflation under control and interest rates down.  That’s up from 41% in early February and the highest level measured since regular tracking began in late July 2009.  Prior to this survey, the number who felt this way has remained in the low to mid 30s for most of 2011 but rose to 40% in December and has remained in the low 40s since.
Forty-eight percent (48%) still lack confidence in the Fed, but that's the first time this finding has fallen believe 50% in nearly three years. The new findings include 11% who are Very Confident in the Fed and 16% who are Not At All Confident.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on March 10-11, 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            March 19, 201253% Favor Immediate Withdrawal of All U.S. Forces From Afghanistan
Most voters now favor the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters support the complete pullout of U.S. forces from what has become America’s longest-running war. Just 31% are opposed, while 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on March 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.
March 19, 201256% Favor Repeal of Health Care Law
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on the constitutionality of the national health care law next week, and the number of voters who Strongly Support the law’s repeal is now at an eight-month high.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows that 56% at least somewhat favor repeal of the health care law, including 46% who Strongly Favor it. Thirty-nine percent (39%) oppose repeal, with 29% who are Strongly Opposed.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            March 19, 2012Missouri 2012: Romney, Santorum Lead Obama by Nine
Both Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum post nine-point leads over President Obama in hypothetical Election 2012 matchups in Missouri.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters in Missouri shows Romney earning 50% to Obama’s 41%. Seven percent (7%) like another candidate in the race, and two percent (2%) are undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
If Santorum is the Republican nominee in the race, he picks up 51% of the vote to 42% for the president. Four percent (4%) prefer someone else, and three percent (3%) 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.
This Missouri survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on March 14-15, 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.
March 18, 201241% Say America’s Best Days In Future
As economic confidence improves somewhat, the number of voters who feel the nation’s best days lie ahead is at its highest level in over two years of regular tracking.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters think America’s best days are in the future, the highest level of optimism since late January 2010.  Slightly more (43%) still feel the nation’s best days are in the past, but that’s the lowest finding since the beginning of 2010 as well. Seventeen percent (17%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 11-12, 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.
March 18, 2012New Low: 28% Give Supreme Court Positive Ratings
Even before the U.S. Supreme Court begins hearings later this month on the constitutionality of the national health care law, fewer voters than ever view the high court positively.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows that 28% give the Supreme Court good or excellent ratings. Nineteen percent (19%) rate the highest court in the land as poor. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 13-14, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points ith 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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                            March 17, 20128% Rate St. Patrick’s Day As An Important Holiday
More Americans than ever consider St. Patrick’s Day one of the nation’s least important holidays, but a sizable number still plan to wear green. One-in four will have an alcoholic drink to celebrate. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults finds that just eight percent (8%) feel St. Patrick’s Day is one of the nation’s most important holidays.  Fifty-seven percent (57%) consider the holiday one of the least important, while another 32% say it’s somewhere in between.  (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 Adults was conducted on March 14-15, 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. 
March 17, 2012What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending March 16, 2012
The delegate hunt continues as Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum battle it out for the Republican presidential nomination. Following Santorum’s wins in the Alabama and Mississippi primaries, the former Massachusetts governor leads the former Pennsylvania by 37% to 28% among Republican voters nationally. That nine point advantage is down slightly from 12 points a week ago and 16 points two weeks ago.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich now picks up 17% support, while Texas Congressman Ron Paul earns 10% of the vote.
Next on the schedule is the Illinois primary on Tuesday. Romney leads Santorum there 41% to 32%, but given that 32% of voters still could change their minds, this represents a potential opportunity for Santorum.  Most Gingrich supporters (55%) say they could change their vote, and they overwhelmingly prefer Santorum over Romney in a two-man race.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
                    <img src="https://www.rasmussenreports.com/var/plain/storage/images/_aliases/wide_266/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_senate_elections/florida/48_in_florida_view_rubio_favorably/680946-1-eng-US/48_in_florida_view_rubio_favorably.jpg" />
                
            
                            March 16, 201248% in Florida View Rubio Favorably
New Florida Senator Marco Rubio has frequently been mentioned as a possible Republican vice presidential candidate, but voters in his home state have mixed feelings now about the national political newcomer.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Florida finds that 48% have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of the Republican freshman senator, while 41% view him at least somewhat unfavorably. This includes 35% with a Very Favorable view of Rubio and 26% with a Very Unfavorable one. Twelve percent (12%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
This Florida survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on March 13, 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.
March 16, 2012Obama Trails Santorum, Leads Romney in Core Four States (FL, NC, OH, VA)
President Obama now trails former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum by four points in a hypothetical 2012 matchup in combined polling of key swing states Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. The president continues to hold a modest lead in those states.
Santorum leads the president 48% to 44% in the so-called Core Four states. Five percent (5%) prefer some other candidate in this matchup, and two percent (2%) are undecided. This marks a shift from last week, when the president was slightly ahead of Santorum.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Obama remains ahead of Romney 46% to 42%, showing no change from last week. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate in this matchup, and six percent (6%) 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 survey of 500 Likely Voters in Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Virginia was conducted on March 10-15, 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
                    <img src="https://www.rasmussenreports.com/var/plain/storage/images/_aliases/wide_266/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_presidential_election/election_2012_republican_presidential_primary/513497-5-eng-US/election_2012_republican_presidential_primary.jpg" />
                
            
                            March 16, 2012National Poll: Romney 37%, Santorum 28%, Gingrich 17%, Paul 10%
The gap between former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum is only slightly narrower following the latter’s primary wins in Alabama and Mississippi on Tuesday. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary voters shows Romney with 37% of the vote to Santorum’s 28%. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich picks up 17% support while Texas Congressman Ron Paul grabs 10% of the vote. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate and five percent (5%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on March 15, 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
                    <img src="https://www.rasmussenreports.com/var/plain/storage/images/_aliases/wide_266/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_presidential_election/illinois/2012_illinois_republican_primary/680760-1-eng-US/2012_illinois_republican_primary.png" />
                
            
                            March 16, 2012Illinois: Romney 41% Santorum 32% Gingrich 14%
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has the lead in Illinois but lots of voters are still trying to decide in the final days before the state’s GOP Primary.
The first Rasmussen Reports poll in the state shows Romney at 41% and Rick Santorum at 32%. Trailing further back are Newt Gingrich at 14% and Ron Paul at seven percent (7%).  (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.
This Illinois survey of 750 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on March 15, 2012 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.
March 16, 2012What Are We Doing in Afghanistan? By Joe Conason
For everyone who originally supported the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan to oust the Taliban, the question today is how what was once a righteous mission can end in anything but ruin. Blaming the Bush administration's neglect and incompetence for the critical failures of the first several years is fair enough, but it is not easy to argue, let alone prove, that the Obama administration has improved upon the mess it inherited.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            March 16, 2012To Create Jobs, Voters Want to Cut While Washington Wants to Spend
Scott Rasmussen looks at one of the fundamental gaps between the American people and their elected politicians: the perceptions of the relationship between economic growth, job creation and government spending. In official Washington, Keynesian economics still rules, and it is simply accepted as fact that cutting government spending will hurt the economy. Politicians also assume that increasing government spending and growing deficits will lead to job creation.
March 16, 2012Missouri Senate:  McCaskill Behind Top Republican Challengers
Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill now trails all four of the leading GOP hopefuls in Missouri’s U.S. Senate race.
A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Missouri shows the Democratic incumbent earning between 41% and 43% of the vote when matched against four potential GOP opponents. She trails the Republican challengers by margins ranging from four to ten percentage points.
This Missouri survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on March 14-15, 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.
March 16, 2012Romney Set to Dominate Race Through April By Kyle Kondik, Larry J. Sabato, and Geoffrey Skelley
Three of the four candidates for the Republican presidential nomination -- Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul -- might soon agree with T.S. Eliot: for them, April may indeed be “the cruelest month.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            March 15, 201248% Blame Bad Economy on Bush Recession, 46% Blame Obama's Policies
More voters are putting the blame on President Obama's policies when it comes to today's still-struggling economy.  The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 48% still place more blame on the economic recession that began under President George W. Bush, but that ties the lowest finding in nearly three years of tracking. Now, nearly as many (46%) say the current president's policies are more to blame, the highest finding since August 2010. (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.
Two separate surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters each were conducted on March 7-8 and 13-14, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error for each survey 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.