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November 3, 2011

National Poll: Cain 26%, Romney 23%, Gingrich 14%

Georgia businessman Herman Cain, who continues to battle past allegations of sexual harassment, draws the most support nationally for the Republican nomination.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely GOP Primary voters shows Cain with 26% of the vote over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s 23%. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich draws 14% support, with no other GOP contender reaching double-digits. Thirteen percent (13%) of GOP voters are undecided at this time. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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November 3, 2011

Obama 42%, Romney 41%

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney continues to draw the most support against President Obama out of all the GOP hopefuls. The two men are essentially tied as they have been since the beginning of the year. 

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds Obama earning 42% support, while Romney receives 41% of the vote.

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 1-2, 2011 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.

November 3, 2011

Voters Evenly Divided As to Whether Allegations Against Cain Are Serious and True

Two-thirds of America’s voters recognize that Herman Cain is the Republican candidate who has been accused of sexual harassment. Voters are evenly divided about the allegations and most Republicans believe the public airing of the charges suggest Cain is considered a serious threat to win the nomination.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% believe the allegations against Cain are at least somewhat likely to be serious and true.  Thirty-eight percent (38%) disagree and 23% are not sure. Those figures include 17% who believe it’s Very Likely and 11% who say Not at All Likely.

(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 November 1-2, 2011 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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November 3, 2011

A Less Super America Will Be Happier By Froma Harrop

A perceived decline in "national greatness" haunts Americans of all political persuasions. Many equate it with the drop in our superpower status. But others ask, "Are the costs of perpetually commanding the high ground worth it?" Money we spend defending the world, others spend building fast trains.

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November 3, 2011

Video: A Third Worker Says She Was Harassed by Cain

A third former employee says she considered filing a workplace complaint over what she considered aggressive and unwanted behavior by Republican candidate Herman Cain.

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November 3, 2011

Video: What They're Saying in Iowa About Cain

CBS News political analyst John Dickerson discusses the impact of the sexual allegations against Herman Cain on the Iowa Caucuses and the rest of the GOP field.

November 3, 2011

21% Support Paying Higher Taxes To Ensure All Pension Benefits for State Workers

Though most Americans nationwide don’t believe their state will have to raise taxes on the middle class to pay all promised pension benefits to state workers, most would rather see a reduction in those benefits than pay higher taxes.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows, when given the choice, 56% would rather reduce promised benefits for public employees than pay higher taxes to ensure that all promised benefits are paid. Twenty-one percent (21%) would rather pay higher taxes than reduce public employee benefits. Another 23% aren’t sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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November 3, 2011

Cain Catches Flak, but Will It Sink His Candidacy? By Michael Barone

Washington was all a-Twitter (literally) Monday over Politico's story about the sexual harassment charges against Herman Cain -- and about Cain's serial self-contradictions.

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November 2, 2011

17% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

Seventeen percent (17%) 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 30.    

The latest finding is up a point from a a week ago,  but is down a point from a month ago and 14 points from this time last year. 

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports October 24-30, 2011. 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.

November 2, 2011

41% Favor 10% Pay Cuts for State Workers, 42% Oppose

Though three out of four Americans nationwide acknowledge that their state is in a budget crisis, they are evenly divided when it comes to cutting the salaries of state workers.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 41% favor a 10% pay cut for all state employees in order to help reduce spending in their state. Forty-two percent (42%) are opposed to the idea while 17% more are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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November 2, 2011

South Carolina: Cain 33% Romney 23% Gingrich 15%

In South Carolina, businessman Herman Cain leads the GOP field with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney ten points behind. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is the only other candidate in double digits. The survey was conducted on Tuesday night following two days of media coverage concerning allegations of sexual harassment against Cain.

In polling conducted before the latest allegations, Cain led in Iowa with Romney second while Romney led in New Hampshire with Cain second.

(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 South Carolina survey of 770 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on November 1, 2011 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.

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November 2, 2011

Obama Full-Month Approval Index in October Dips To Lowest Level Yet

When tracking President Obama’s job approval on a daily basis, people sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations that they miss the bigger picture. To look at the longer-term trends, Rasmussen Reports compiles the numbers on a full-month basis, and the results can be seen in the graphics below.

In October, 20% of voters Strongly Approved of the president’s job performance.  That’s the lowest level found during the Obama presidency to date and the second time in the last three months that the finding has fallen to a record low.  Prior to last month, the number who Strongly Approved of the president’s performance ranged from a low of 21% to a high of 31% since July 2009.  By comparison, 43% Strongly Approved of Obama's performance when he assumed office in January 2009.

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November 2, 2011

A Time for Statesmen By Tony Blankley

Now is a particularly dangerous moment for American national security interests. Not just because threats are growing. Not just because the current administration is making a historic bungle from China to Iraq to Iran to Russia to Europe to Mexico to our historic allies in the Middle East -- both Jewish and Muslim. All that would be bad enough.

November 2, 2011

79% See Political Correctness As Serious Problem in America

Hank Williams Jr. won’t be singing the opening song for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” anymore as a result of a comment he made about President Obama. Some consider him the latest prominent victim of political correctness.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 79% of American Adults think political correctness is a serious problem in America today, up five points from a year ago.  Just 16% feel it’s not a problem for the country. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

November 2, 2011

Scott Discusses New Hampshire GOP Primary on Fox News

Scott talks with Host Megyn Kelly about the Republican Presidential Primary in New Hampshire and its impact on the rest of the GOP race.

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November 1, 2011

Generic Republican 47%, Obama 42%

For nearly four months, a generic Republican candidate has led President Obama in a hypothetical 2012 matchup.  A GOP candidate now holds a five-point advantage over the incumbent for the week ending Sunday, October 30.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds the generic Republican earning 47% support, while the president picks up 42% of the vote.

The survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted October 24-30, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 2 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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November 1, 2011

October Employment Index Shows Less Confidence Among Workers

The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, slipped two points in October to 71.7.

The Employment Index is still up two points from August’ recent low of 69.3, but worker confidence is down five points from the beginning of 2011 and six points from last October. Generally speaking, a decrease in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be worse than prior months.

(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 8,501 working Americans was conducted in October 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 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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November 1, 2011

Obama 43%, Cain 38%

Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain, who is dealing with a media firestorm surrounding past accusations of sexual harassment, earns the same level of support against President Obama as he did a week ago.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows the president picking up 43% of the vote to Cain’s 38%.

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 30-31, 2011 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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November 1, 2011

Partisan Trends: 34.3% Republican, 33.1% Democrat

The number of Republicans increased by half a percentage point in October, while the number of Democrats decreased by a similar amount.

During the month of October, 34.3% of Americans considered themselves to be Republicans, up from 33.9% in September.  The number of Democrats fell to 33.1% from 33.7% the month before. September marked the smallest gap between the parties in nearly nine years of monthly tracking.

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November 1, 2011

Romney Still Viewed As Most Mainstream of Presidential Candidates

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney continues to be regarded by voters as closer to the political mainstream than other leading candidates running for the White House. Voters are evenly divided on whether President Obama, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, or businessman Herman Cain are in the political mainstream but tend to see Texas Governor Rick Perry’s views as extreme.

Forty-eight percent (48%) see Romney’s views as mainstream. Only 23% think his views are extreme while 29% aren’t sure.

(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 October 30-31, 2011 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.