Mitt Romney's impressive victory Tuesday makes it very likely that we will look back on the Florida primary as the contest that determined the 2012 Republican nomination.
To be sure, the campaign fight will go on, and Romney is by no means assured of a sweep of the relatively few February contests.
Twenty-nine percent (29%) 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, Jan. 29. That’s the highest level of optimism measured in weekly tracking since May of last year.
The latest finding is up three points from the previous week. 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 steadily climbed since then.
(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 January 23-29, 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.
In a survey conducted a week after President Obama’s third State of the Union Address, positive reviews for the president’s leadership are the highest measured since late 2009.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows that 48% now give Obama good or excellent marks as a leader, including 20% who give him an excellent grade. Thirty-four percent (34%) rate his leadership as poor. (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 January 29-30, 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 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) yesterday reported that the federal budget deficit is projected to reach $1.1 trillion in 2012. That number is troubling enough but the reality is much worse. The United States will actually go about $4 trillion further in debt during the year.
The number of Republicans in the country inched up half a percentage point in January, while the number of Democrats dipped to the lowest level ever recorded by Rasmussen Reports.
During January, 35.9% of Americans considered themselves Republicans. That’s up from 35.4% in December and the highest number of Republicans measured since December 2010.
Rasmussen Reports tracks this information based on telephone interviews with approximately 15,000 adults per month and has been doing so since November 2002. The margin of error for the full sample is less than one percentage point, with a 95% level of confidence.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is aiming to end New York City’s policy of requiring food stamp applicants to be fingerprinted, a policy the city’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg, wants to keep in place. A new survey shows that a majority of Americans nationwide favor requiring food stamp applicants to be fingerprinted in order to be eligible.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that 53% believe Americans applying for food stamps should be required to be fingerprinted in order to be eligible. More than a third (36%) disagrees, while 11% 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 was conducted on January 30-31, 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.
Here’s some good news for employers. U.S. workers have even more confidence in their bosses than they did two years ago.
Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Employed Adults rate their boss or supervisor as good or excellent. That’s up 12 points from 67% in May 2010. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just six percent (6%) rate that person as poor. (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 336 Employed Adults was conducted on January 28-29, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 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.
With an election approaching and at least some Americans upset about irresponsible spending, the president has finally expressed a political interest in cutting something. He says the Pentagon will spend "only" $525 billion next year. That's slightly less than the current $531 billion.
In an era where animal videos on YouTube get just as many views as a speech by the president, most American pet owners say domestic animals in this country are treated well.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of U.S. pet owners finds that 69% say, generally speaking, most domestic animals are well-treated here. Seventeen percent (17%) disagree, and another 14% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 640 Pet Owners was conducted on January 26-27, 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.
The Rasmussen Employment Index, which measures workers’ perceptions of the labor market each month, rose almost two points in January to reach 80.7, its highest level since November 2010.
Generally speaking, an increase in the Rasmussen Employment Index suggests the upcoming government reports on job creation will be better than the prior month’s.
January’s index is four points above the level measured at the start of 2011 and is up 14 points from January 2010. While confidence in the labor market is improving, the Employment Index is still down three points from November 2010, which represented the peak of the post-bailout era.
Positive ratings for Congress remain at an all-time low, and a plurality of voters continues to believe most members of Congress are corrupt.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only five percent (5%) of Likely U.S. Voters rate the job Congress is doing as good or excellent. Seventy percent (70%) view Congress’ job performance as poor, just a point lower than the highest level ever measured. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 29-30, 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.
Indiana as early as Wednesday could become the 23rd right-to-work state in the country, meaning non-union employees would not be required to pay union dues when working for a company that is unionized. Voters overwhelmingly agree with the intent of the new law, but most also don’t think a non-union worker should enjoy benefits negotiated by the union.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 15% of Likely U.S. Voters think workers who do not belong to a union should be required by law to pay union dues if the company they work for is unionized. Seventy-four percent (74%) disagree and say non-union workers should not be forced to pay dues in a closed union shop. Eleven percent (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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 29-30, 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.
Celebrity chef Paula Deen lustily massages salt into "a mighty fat hog," as the dogs circle the cooking island. For the yams, "I'm only using half a stick of butter," she drawls before breaking into high laughter. Deen's popular Food Network show does Southern cooking with no brakes on the pork fat, butter, sugar or other dietarily incorrect ingredients.
Most voters still believe they won’t get all the Medicare benefits they are entitled to and think it will take an overhaul of the health care system to make Medicare financially solvent. Fewer than ever also regard Medicare as a good deal for working Americans.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 38% of Likely U.S. Voters are at least somewhat confident that they will receive all their promised Medicare benefits in their lifetime. That includes just 13% who are Very Confident. Fifty-six percent (56%) are not confident of receiving their full benefits, with 23% who are Not At All Confident. (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 January 27-28, 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.
In THE PEOPLE’S MONEY, pollster Scott Rasmussen, who charted the rise of the Tea Party in 2010, shows that government spending has gone up every single year since 1954 despite persistent voter demand for spending cuts.
For the first time in roughly two-and-a-half years, Democrats lead Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot, this time for the week ending Sunday, Jan. 29.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 40% would choose the Republican instead.
Animal lovers can be quite passionate in the age-old debate of cats versus dogs, but when it comes to which animal is a more popular house pet in America, dogs come out way ahead. Whether a cat person or a dog person, though, an overwhelming number of pet owners talk to their pet and consider it a joy to own.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% of American Adults own a pet, while 34% do not. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.
Please sign up for the Rasmussen Reports daily e-mail update (it’s free) or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Let us keep you up to date with the latest public opinion news.
Most employed Americans give their workplace positive marks, but nearly one-in-four say they have left a job because of a bad relationship with a coworker.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Employed Adults finds that 81% describe their workplace as at least somewhat positive, including 27% who believe their work environment is Very Positive. Only 16% describe their workplace as negative, with one percent (1%) who say it’s a Very Negative place. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 336 Employed Adults was conducted on January 28-29, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 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.
A sizable number of voters think there have been too many Republican debates and that the debates have been mostly a waste of time. But still nearly seven-out-of-10 see debates as important to how they cast their vote.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe there have been too many candidate debates in the race for the GOP presidential nomination. Only nine percent (9%) feel there have not been enough debates, while 37% say the number's been about right. (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 January 27-28, 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 got mixed signals from a turbulent political week. Barack Obama seems to be enjoying an uptick in polls -- up toward, but not quite at, 50 percent approval. It's a reminder that he can expect to benefit from Americans' desire to think well of their presidents and from the reluctance of many voters to be seen as rejecting the first black president.
