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                            January 26, 201235% Say Congressman or Governor Can Be Bought for $10,000 or Less
Americans think it’s getting cheaper to buy a congressman or governor. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of American Adults now believe it takes a contribution of at least $50,000 to influence a congressman or governor, but that’s down from 50% in March 2006. The new finding includes 19% who say a contribution of $100,000 or more is necessary, compared to 27% the first time we asked the question. (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 January 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.
January 26, 2012Mitch Daniels: Bombast From the Past By Joe Conason
Why the Republicans chose Mitch Daniels -- the Indiana governor who once thrilled right-wing pundits as a 2012 hopeful -- to deliver a rebuttal to President Obama's State of the Union address is puzzling. His uninspiring remarks surely killed the Daniels fad, revived lately as Republicans fret over the unappetizing choices available in their primaries.
January 26, 2012Florida GOP Primary: Romney 39%, Gingrich 31%, Santorum 12%, Paul 9%
Mitt Romney has jumped back ahead in the fevered Florida Republican Primary race with his support back to where it was before Newt Gingrich’s big win Saturday in South Carolina.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Florida Republican Primary Voters, taken Wednesday night, shows Romney with 39% support to Gingrich’s 31%. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum earns 12%, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul runs last with nine percent (9%). Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, 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 Florida survey of 750 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on January 25, 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.
January 26, 2012Florida GOP Primary: Romney 39%, Gingrich 31%, Santorum 12%, Paul 9%
Mitt Romney has jumped back ahead in the fevered Florida Republican Primary race with his support back to where it was before Newt Gingrich’s big win Saturday in South Carolina.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Florida Republican Primary Voters, taken Wednesday night, shows Romney with 39% support to Gingrich’s 31%. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum earns 12%, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul runs last with nine percent (9%). Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, 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 Florida survey of 750 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on January 25, 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.
January 26, 2012Unlike Obama, GOP Candidates Talk Seriously About Governing By Michael Barone
You know politicians are serious when they move from campaigning to governing. Something like that may be happening on the Republican campaign trail -- but, unfortunately, not at the Obama White House.
January 25, 201226% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction
Twenty-six percent (26%) 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. 22.  That’s the highest level of optimism measured in over seven months.
The latest finding is up two points from the previous week. From July 25 through Dec. 11, the number of voters who were confident in the nation's current course had 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 been in the low 20s since mid-December.
The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports January 16-22, 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/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/january_2012/75_say_it_s_better_for_children_to_grow_up_in_two_parent_home/661751-1-eng-US/75_say_it_s_better_for_children_to_grow_up_in_two_parent_home.jpg" />
                
            
                            January 25, 201275% Say It's Better for Children to Grow Up In Two-Parent Home
Adults nationwide overwhelmingly believe that it is important for children to grow up in a home with both parents and feel those children have an advantage over those who grow up in a single-parent home.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 95% say it is at least somewhat important for children to grow up in a home with both parents. This finding includes 73% who see this as Very Important. (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 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.
January 25, 2012New Low: 15% Say Situation In Iraq Will Get Better
As insurgent violence in Iraq grows following the withdrawal of U.S. troops, voters’ perceptions that the situation there will get better have fallen to an all-time low. There's similar pessimism about Afghanistan, but voters are still relatively confident that the United States and its allies are winning the war on terror. 
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 15% of Likely Voters say the situation in Iraq will get better in the next six months, down from 24% last month. Forty-three percent (43%) say the situation there will get worse, while 30% say it will stay about the same.  Another 12% are undecided.  (To see survey question wording,  click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            January 25, 201233% of GOP Voters Say It Would Be Good If New Candidate Entered Presidential Race
While many pundits have taken to describing the race for the Republican nomination as a two-man competition, a third of all voters nationwide think it would be good for the GOP if someone else jumped into the fray.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 34% of Likely U.S. Voters think it would be good for Republicans if another candidate entered the race for the party’s presidential nomination. But nearly as many (31%) say it would be bad for the party, while 24% believe it would have no impact. Twelve percent (12%) 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 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 23-24, 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.
January 25, 2012The Real State of the Union By John Stossel
Has Barack Obama learned nothing in three years? Last night, during his State of the Union address, he promised "a blueprint for an economy." But economies are crushed by blueprints. An economy is really nothing more than people participating in an unfathomably complex spontaneous network of exchanges aimed at improving their material circumstances. It can't even be diagrammed, much less planned. And any attempt at it will come to grief.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            January 25, 20122012 Presidential Election Matchups
Rasmussen Reports is now tracking the four named Republicans remaining in the race in regular matchups with the President Obama.  Rasmussen Reports will match up Obama with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, the current leaders in the contest for the GOP presidential nomination, every day. These numbers will be reported on a three day rolling average.  We will test former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum and Texas Congressman Ron Paul against the president weekly.
The tables on this page will be updated each day by 9:30am and will contain the entire history of these matchups.  This page can only be viewed if you have a Rasmussen Reader membership.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            January 25, 201268% of Republicans Think Gingrich As Ethical as Other Politicians
The charges have been flying fast and furious about Newt Gingrich’s marital and professional behavior and Mitt Romney’s business practices, but when it comes to ethics, voters always grade politicians on a curve.
Sixty-eight percent (68%)of Likely Republican Primary Voters nationwide believe Gingrich is at least as ethical as most politicians. Only 24% believe he is less ethical than his peers.
As for Romney, 82% of likely GOP primary voters regard him to be at least as ethical as most politicians, just 12% less so. (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 Republican Primary Voters was conducted on January 23, 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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                            January 24, 2012Rasmussen Reports Shifts Weekly Presidential Matchups to Daily
Rasmussen Reports is discontinuing its weekly matchups between President Obama and a generic Republican candidate now that the GOP race has narrowed to a few serious contenders. In its place, we are tracking the four named Republicans remaining in the race in regular matchups with the president.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
                    <img src="https://www.rasmussenreports.com/var/plain/storage/images/_aliases/wide_266/public_content/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/january_2012/45_eating_out_less_often_than_they_were_six_months_ago/661306-1-eng-US/45_eating_out_less_often_than_they_were_six_months_ago.jpg" />
                
            
                            January 24, 201245% Eating Out Less Often Than They Were Six Months Ago
While Americans seem to be showing a bit more confidence in the economy, their eating habits haven't changed much.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% of American Adults are dining out less often than they were six months ago. (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 January 22-23, 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.
January 24, 2012National Poll: Gingrich 35%, Romney 28%, Santorum 16%, Paul 10%
After his game-changing win in South Carolina, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich continues to ride his surge to the front of the pack among likely Republican primary voters nationwide. He now leads Mitt Romney by seven points.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely GOP Primary Voters shows Gingrich with 35% of the vote, representing an eight-point increase in support from last week. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney now draws 28%. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum’s support is little changed at 16%, while Texas Congressman Ron Paul picks up 10%.
Just two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate in the race, while nine percent (9%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on January 23, 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.
January 24, 2012Being Rich Is Not Mitt's Political Problem By Froma Harrop
It's no secret that Mitt Romney is rich. He was born rich and got mega-millions richer as a financier. Nor is it a secret that his income is mostly taxed at 15 percent, a far lower rate than middle-class grunts pay. Nor does he have any obligation to pay more in taxes than he legally owes.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            January 24, 201259% Say Creating New Jobs More Important Than Protecting Environment
Despite President Obama’s decision last week to delay the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to Texas for environmental reasons, most voters think creating jobs trumps the environment.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely U.S. Voters say, generally speaking, that creating new jobs is more important than environmental protection. Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree and say protecting the environment is more important. Another 12% 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 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            January 24, 201278% Rate Marriage As Important to U.S. Society
Americans believe overwhelmingly in the importance of marriage, and a sizable number continue to feel it’s too easy to get a divorce in this country.
Seventy-eight percent (78%) of American Adults rate the institution of marriage as at least somewhat important to U.S. society, and that includes 60% who consider it Very Important. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 17% don’t believe marriage is a very important institution, with three percent (3%) who say it’s Not At All Important. (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 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.  Some survey questions were asked of married adults who are not separated.  The margin of sampling error on those questions is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            January 24, 201271% See Government Censorship of Internet As Bigger Threat Than Illegal Downloading
Congress’ Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is in limbo in the face of strong opposition from Internet giants like Google and Wikipedia fearful of government censorship. Most voters agree that online piracy of films is theft, but they, too, are more concerned about Internet censorship.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of Likely U.S. Voters agree that someone who downloads a movie online without paying for it is stealing from the company that made the film. Eighteen percent (18%) do not view this free downloading as theft. Fifteen percent (15%) 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 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on January 21-22, 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.
January 23, 2012Generic Congressional Ballot:  Republicans 42%, Democrats 39%
Republicans hold a three-point lead over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, Jan. 22.
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 39% would choose the Democrat instead.
(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.