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May 24, 2012Pennsylvania Senate: Casey (D) 48%, Smith (R) 41%
Democratic incumbent Bob Casey, Jr. holds a seven-point lead over Republican challenger Tom Smith in Rasmussen Reports’ first look at the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania.
A new telephone survey of Likely Voters in Pennsylvania finds Casey, who is seeking a second six-year term, with 48% support to Smith’s 41%. Three percent (3%) favor some other candidate in the race, and seven percent (7%) 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.
This Pennsylvania survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted May 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.
May 23, 201230% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Thirty percent (30%) 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, May 20.
This finding is up two points from the previous week.
(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 May 14-20, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports 30surveys 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/housing/may_2012/63_say_those_who_can_t_afford_mortgage_payments_should_sell_home/707328-1-eng-US/63_say_those_who_can_t_afford_mortgage_payments_should_sell_home.jpg" />
                
            
                            May 23, 201263% Say Those Who Can’t Afford Mortgage Payments Should Sell Home
Most Americans continue to believe that homeowners who cannot afford their mortgage payments should buy something cheaper rather than turn to the government for a bailout.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 22% of Adults think that if someone can't meet their increased mortgage payments, the government should assist them. Sixty-three percent (63%) say they should sell their home instead and buy a less expensive one. That's down six points from March’s high of 69%, but more in line with regular surveys over the past two years. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure which course is better. (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 nationwide was conducted on May 15-16, 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.
May 23, 201248% Say Justice System Is Fair To Most Americans
Overall perceptions of the fairness of the U.S. justice system remain relatively unchanged from last year, but slightly more adults now believe the system is fair to poor and minority Americans.
Forty-eight percent (48%) of Adults think the justice system is generally fair to most Americans, according to a new national Rasmussen Reports telephone survey. Thirty one percent (31%) don’t regard the system as fair to most Americans, while another 21% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on May 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.
May 23, 2012Radio Update:  Republican Efforts to Exempt Military from Budget Cuts Out of Step with Voters
Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen. Stations interested in adding “The Rasmussen Report” features to their lineup should contact Willis Damalt at the WOR Radio Network at 212-798-8376 or via email at wdamalt@worradionet.com.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
                    <img src="https://www.rasmussenreports.com/var/plain/storage/images/_aliases/wide_266/public_content/politics/general_politics/may_2012/15_say_it_s_more_honorable_to_work_for_government_than_for_private_company/706911-1-eng-US/15_say_it_s_more_honorable_to_work_for_government_than_for_private_company.jpg" />
                
            
                            May 23, 201215% Say It’s More Honorable To Work for Government Than For Private Company
Voters give low marks to government service compared to working in the private sector.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 15% of Likely U.S. Voters believe it is more honorable to work for the government than it is to work for a private company. Sixty-one percent (61%) disagree and say it is not more honorable. But a sizable 24% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on May 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.
May 23, 2012Pennsylvania: Obama 47%, Romney 41%
President Obama now holds a six-point lead over Mitt Romney in Pennsylvania, a state considered essential to his reelection bid.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Keystone State shows the president with 47% support, while the putative Republican presidential nominee picks up 41% of the vote. Seven percent (7%) prefer some other candidate, and five percent (5%) 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.
This Pennsylvania survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted May 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.
May 22, 2012Radio Updates: Most Voters Favor Letting States Overrule FDA
Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen. Stations interested in adding “The Rasmussen Report” features to their lineup should contact Willis Damalt at the WOR Radio Network at 212-798-8376 or via email at wdamalt@worradionet.com.
May 22, 2012Radio Update: Housing Market Collapse Highlights Changes in U.S. Economy
Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen. Stations interested in adding “The Rasmussen Report” features to their lineup should contact Willis Damalt at the WOR Radio Network at 212-798-8376 or via email at wdamalt@worradionet.com.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
                    <img src="https://www.rasmussenreports.com/var/plain/storage/images/_aliases/wide_266/public_content/politics/general_politics/may_2012/57_say_american_society_is_fair_and_decent/706628-1-eng-US/57_say_american_society_is_fair_and_decent.jpg" />
                
            
                            May 22, 201257% Say American Society is Fair and Decent
Most Americans still view U.S. society as fair and decent, but they're more critical than they've been in a while.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 57% of Likely U.S. Voters consider American society generally fair and decent, down from 60% a month ago and the first time that finding has fallen into the 50s since December 2008. Thirty percent (30%) say American society is generally unfair and discriminatory, the most negative assessment since September. Thirteen percent (13%) 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 national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on May 16-17, 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
                    <img src="https://www.rasmussenreports.com/var/plain/storage/images/_aliases/wide_266/public_content/business/jobs_employment/may_2012/73_say_men_women_earn_equal_pay_at_their_workplace/706605-1-eng-US/73_say_men_women_earn_equal_pay_at_their_workplace.jpg" />
                
            
                            May 22, 201273% Say Men, Women Earn Equal Pay At Their Workplace
Most working Americans believe their workplace is free of gender discrimination and don’t know anyone who’s been a victim of it. But women continue to be more skeptical than men. 
Nineteen percent (19%) of all employed Americans say they personally know someone who has been denied a job, a promotion or increased pay because of their gender, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. But 73% don’t know anyone who falls in that category. That finding shows little change from November 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 558 Employed Adults was conducted on May 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.
May 22, 2012Radio Update:  Voters Want Government to Deliver More or Spend Less
Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen. Stations interested in adding “The Rasmussen Report” features to their lineup should contact Willis Damalt at the WOR Radio Network at 212-798-8376 or via email at wdamalt@worradionet.com.
May 22, 201251% Think U.S. Should Withdraw All Troops From Europe
Mitt Romney is criticizing President Obama for making major cuts in defense spending and accuses him of undercutting America’s NATO alliance with its European allies. But voters continue to question the current level of U.S. defense spending, and most favor withdrawing all U.S. troops from Europe.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 51% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe the United States should remove all its troops from Western Europe and let the Europeans defend themselves. Only 29% disagree, but another 20% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on May 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            May 22, 201240% Now Say Trayvon Martin Shot in Self-Defense; 24% Say It Was Murder
As evidence continues to emerge from the shooting death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, Americans are becoming more convinced that his killer acted in self-defense and that the legal system will come to that conclusion.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 24% of American Adults still believe the man who shot Martin should be found guilty of murder. But that’s down from 33% in late March when the case first began to draw national headlines and 30% in early April.
Forty percent (40%) now think George Zimmerman, who has been charged with second degree murder in the Martin shooting, acted in self-defense. That’s up 25 points from 15% in March and up 16 points from 24% last month. Thirty-six percent (36%) remain undecided, compared to 55% two months ago. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on May 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.
May 22, 2012The United States of Gambling By Froma Harrop
A surprising fact: Gamblers spent more last year at commercial casinos in Indiana than they did at non-Indian casinos in all but three other states -- not surprisingly, Nevada, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The 11 casinos and two racinos (horse racing tracks with slots) are the Hoosier State's third-largest source of tax revenues.    
May 22, 201247% Favor Legalizing Pot, Cocaine To Reduce Border Drug Violence
A majority of voters agree that high U.S. consumption of illegal drugs is a major cause of drug violence in Mexico and Central America, and nearly half favor legalizing marijuana - and cocaine - if it will reduce that violence along the Mexican border.
Sixty-two percent (62%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe consumer demand in this country for illegal drugs is a major factor in the drug violence and gang warfare in Mexico and Central America. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 20% don’t think that's true, and another 18% 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 May 12, 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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                            May 21, 2012Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 43%, Democrats 39%
Republicans hold a four-point lead on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, May 20. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 39% would choose the Democrat instead. This gap is down from last week when Republicans led by seven but is consistent with the level of support the GOP has been earning since early March.
The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from May 14-20, 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.
May 21, 201211% Favor Legalizing, Regulating Cocaine
Voters may be sympathetic to legalizing marijuana with the proper controls, but they strongly draw the line at making cocaine legal.
Eighty-four percent (84%) of Likely U.S. Voters are opposed to legalizing cocaine even if it is regulated like alcohol and tobacco. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 11% favor legalizing cocaine under those terms. (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 May 12, 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.
May 21, 2012Radio Update:  There's a Gender Gap on Questions of Equal Pay for Equal Work
Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen. Stations interested in adding “The Rasmussen Report” features to their lineup should contact Willis Damalt at the WOR Radio Network at 212-798-8376 or via email at wdamalt@worradionet.com.
May 21, 2012Radio Update:  Romney Record at Bain Capital a Modest Positive for Voters
Listen to the latest edition of The Rasmussen Report with noted pollster Scott Rasmussen. Stations interested in adding “The Rasmussen Report” features to their lineup should contact Willis Damalt at the WOR Radio Network at 212-798-8376 or via email at wdamalt@worradionet.com.