Real votes make clear what polls cannot fully pick up. The Republican election season has been shaped by two forces, other than the obvious one to oust President Obama. First, the strongest potential candidates did not enter the fray, and the remaining contenders do not satisfy most GOP voters.
Thirty-one percent (31%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, February 19.
The latest finding is down three points from a week ago, which showed the highest level of optimism since April 2010. From July 25 through December 11 of last year, the number of voters who were confident in the nation's current course resembled levels measured in the final months of the Bush administration, with voter confidence remaining in the narrow range of 14% to 19%. But that finding has climbed steadily since then.
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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports February 13-19, 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.
The hotly contested U.S. Senate race in Virginia between two popular former governors remains a dead heat.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Old Dominion finds Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican George Allen both earning 46% support. Three percent (3%) prefers some other candidate, and five percent (5%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Virginia was conducted on February 21, 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.
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum holds a two-to-one lead over his closest GOP rival in the first Rasmussen Reports survey of Oklahoma’s Republican primary race.
The latest statewide survey of Likely GOP Primary voters shows Santorum with 43% of the vote followed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 22% and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney at 18%. Texas Congressman Ron Paul draws seven percent (7%) support. Just two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate in the race, while seven percent (7%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
This Oklahoma survey of 750 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on February 21, 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.
Support for mandating coverage of the so-called "morning after pill" is lower than support for mandating coverage of contraceptives in general.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 38% of Likely U.S. Voters think health insurance companies should be required by law to cover the morning after pill without co-payments or other charges to the patient. Fifty percent (50%) disagree and oppose this requirement. Thirteen percent (13%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 20-21, 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.
Imagine this family budget:
Last year, you earned $24,700. But you spent $37,900, incurring $13,300 in debt, and you were already $153,500 in debt.
Americans are a little more enthusiastic about paying their income taxes than they have been in the last couple of years.
Thirty-three percent (33%) of American Adults say they’ve paid their income taxes already with two months to go until the deadline, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
This marks an increase in early filers from last year’s 29% and 2010’s 30%. The new findings match those in February 2009 but remain well below the 43% who filed by early March 2008, just months before the Wall Street meltdown.
Eighty-eight percent (88%) of adults expect to file their taxes by the April 15 deadline, same as last year but down from 94% in 2010. Seven percent (7%) will seek an extension, and five percent (5%) more 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 Adults nationwide was conducted on February 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.
All boats rise with the tide? Like President Obama's job approval ratings in recent weeks, voter perceptions of two of his top Cabinet officers - Attorney General Eric Holder and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner - are up slightly since the end of last year.
Despite a House resolution calling for Holder's resignation following the botched Fast and Furious investigation involving Mexican drug cartels, 26% of Likely U.S. Voters have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of the attorney general, up from 19% in mid-December. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that a plurality (40%) still views Holder unfavorably, but that's down three points from his all-time high of 43% in December. Thirty-nine percent (39%) have no opinion of him. The new findings include nine percent with a Very Favorable view of Holder and 24% 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 February 16-17, 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.
The Michigan Republican Primary is just a week away, and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum is holding on to a small lead over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters in Michigan shows Santorum with 38% of the vote to Romney’s 34%. Well behind are Texas Congressman Ron Paul with 10% support and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at nine percent (9%). Only one percent (1%) prefers some other candidate in the race, while eight percent (8%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
This Michigan survey of 750 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on February 20, 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.
While most voters continue to strongly support border control to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into this country, they also remain concerned that legal citizens will be caught up inadvertently in these efforts.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely U.S. Voters are at least somewhat concerned that efforts to identify and deport illegal immigrants will also end up violating the civil rights of some U.S. citizens. Thirty-eight percent (38%) are not concerned a citizen’s rights will be violated in this process. These figures include 28% who are Very Concerned and 10% who are Not At All Concerned. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 16-17, 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 in his latest budget has proposed $10,000 subsidies to encourage the purchase of electric cars with his goal of having one million of the vehicles on the road by 2015. But voters by a two-to-one margin oppose taxpayer-funded subsidies for this purpose.
Just 29% of Likely U.S. Voters favor $10,000 government subsidies to encourage the purchase of electric cars, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Fifty-eight percent (58%) are opposed to such subsidies. Thirteen percent (13%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 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.
The white working class is in big trouble, and the liberal elite is largely to blame. So says Charles Murray in his latest book, "Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010." As a scholar at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, and this being an election year, wouldn't he just.
The number of homeowners who think their home is worth more than they paid for it remains low. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of U.S. homeowners finds that 53% believe their home is worth more money than when they bought it. That’s little changed since December. But it's down nine points from October, and down 27 points since June 2008. (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 706 Adult Homeowners was conducted on February 17-18, 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.
Republicans hold a narrow one-point lead over Democrats on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot, this time for the week ending Sunday, Feb. 19.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 41% would choose the Democrat instead.
The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from February 13-19, 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.
Amidst reports that sales of new and existing houses were up in January, confidence among homeowners that the value of their home will increase in the next five years is at its highest level in over a year, as is the number who believe their house is worth more than what they still owe on it.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of Adult Homeowners think the value of their home is worth more than their mortgage. That finding is up slightly from mid-January, but is at the highest level measured since early January of last year. Since then, this figure has generally remained in the high 40s to low 50s.
Nearly one-in-three homeowners (32%) don’t believe their home is worth more than what they owe on their mortgage. Another 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 national survey of 706 Adult Homeowners was conducted on February 17-18, 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.
Most voters think women should be allowed to serve in the same combat military roles as men but also believe they should be able to pass the same physical tests as men do if they’re going to be in the Green Berets or Navy SEALs.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 22% of Likely U.S. Voters incorrectly believe that women in the military are already allowed to fight on the front lines and perform all the combat roles that men do. Fifty-six percent (56%) recognizing that this is not true. Twenty-one percent (21%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 16-17, 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.
Despite the controversy over the Obama administration’s requirement that Catholic institutions provide free contraceptive coverage for employees, voters’ opinions on the health care law behind that requirement remain steady. Just over half of voters still want the law repealed.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows 53% at least somewhat favor repeal of the health care law, while 38% oppose repeal. These figures include 41% who Strongly Favor repeal and 28% who are Strongly Opposed. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 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.
Many Republican House members, and the bloggers and tea partiers who cheered their victory in gaining a majority in November 2010, seem to be seething with discontent and eager for confrontation.
Americans continue to have an overwhelmingly favorable opinion of Abraham Lincoln but are strongly opposed to celebrating his February 12 birthday as a separate holiday. They’re satisfied instead to celebrate Lincoln’s birthday along with George Washington’s on Presidents’ Day today.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 84% of American Adults share at least a somewhat favorable opinion of the president known as the Great Emancipator, including 60% with a Very Favorable view of him. Just 10% hold a somewhat unfavorable or Very Unfavorable regard for the 16th U.S. president who served during the U.S. Civil War. (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 February 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.
Americans have grown a little fonder of driving over the years, but a sizable number still says it's strictly for getting around.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 46% of American Adults view driving a car as something they really enjoy rather than just something they have to do to get from one place to another. That’s up from 43% a year ago and 39% the year before.
But 50% still see driving as primarily a way to get from one place to another. This finding is little changed from last year but is down from 56% in 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.
The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on February 13-14, 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.
