If it's in the News, it's in our Polls. Public opinion polling since 2003.

Public Content

Most Recent Releases

White letter R on blue background
November 13, 2010

America Wants What America Makes

When it comes to purchasing products, Americans want their goods home-grown.

White letter R on blue background
November 13, 2010

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending November 13, 2010

Now that the elections are behind us, 76% of voters think it’s at least somewhat likely that the outgoing Congress will try to pass major legislation during a lame-duck session before the newly elected Members of Congress take office. While most expect them to try, just 36% believe they should.

White letter R on blue background
November 13, 2010

The Unrecorded Moment By Susan Estrich

I can't quite remember certain things that happened in college, particularly during my junior year "abroad" at Dartmouth. I'm sure some of that is age (in this case, a rare blessing), but the larger part is that I don't want to remember. And I can't imagine wanting anyone else to, either, at least not with any greater accuracy than their equally limited memory should allow.

White letter R on blue background
November 12, 2010

49% Favor Less Time Between Election Day and the New Congress

Most new members of the U.S. Senate and House won’t be seated until two months after their election, and a plurality of Americans think that’s too long a time.

White letter R on blue background
November 12, 2010

Americans Say Free Trade Good for Economy But Costs Jobs

A plurality of voters continues to believe that the country’s economy will benefit from free trade, but they also think it will stunt job growth.

White letter R on blue background
November 12, 2010

Most Say Major Legislation Likely Early On From New Congress

A majority of voters see the possibility of big things from the new Congress in the early going next year.

White letter R on blue background
November 12, 2010

GOP Freshmen Will Hold Boehner to His Big Promises By Michael Barone

For political junkies of a certain age, it was a given that the House of Representatives would always be controlled by Democrats. They won the chamber in 1954 and held on for 40 years -- more than twice as long as any party in American history had before.

White letter R on blue background
November 12, 2010

Just 23% Say Situation in Afghanistan Will Be Better in Six Months

As President Obama and his staff consider delaying the withdrawal date for U.S. troops in Afghanistan, voters remain pessimistic about the longest-lasting conflict in American history.

White letter R on blue background
November 12, 2010

It's "OTB" Time: One-Term Barack By Larry J. Sabato

The wreckage of the Democratic Party is strewn just about everywhere. President Obama’s carefully constructed 2008 Electoral College breakthrough is now just broken, a long-ago memory of what might have been a lasting shift in partisan alignment.

White letter R on blue background
November 12, 2010

The World Against Bernanke By Lawrence Kudlow

The great Bernanke QE2 debate continues to heat up. In the run-up to the G-20 meetings, China, Russia, Germany and others have all come out against the Federal Reserve's quantitative-easing agenda. They don't want hot-money excess dollars to flow into their higher-yielding currencies.

White letter R on blue background
November 11, 2010

54% Think Violent Video Games Lead to More Violence in Society

Video game consumers and retailers have been abuzz about the newest in a line of military-inspired video games which market to people of all ages. But most Americans think violent video games like this contribute to violence in society.

White letter R on blue background
November 11, 2010

Obama Gets Better Marks on National Security Than The Economy

While voters tend to disapprove of the way President Obama is dealing with the country's economic problems, they remain more positive about his handling of foreign policy.

White letter R on blue background
November 11, 2010

Americans Slightly More Confident That Country Is Safe From Terrorism

A plurality of voters nationwide continues to believe the U.S. situation in Afghanistan will get worse in the next six months.

White letter R on blue background
November 11, 2010

Most Voters Think Democrats in Congress Will Push Major Legislation in Lame-Duck Session

Most voters think Congress should wait until the new members take office in January before tackling any major new legislation, but even more expect Democrats to try to pass major legislation anyway in the upcoming lame-duck session.

White letter R on blue background
November 11, 2010

2010 By the Numbers By Larry J. Sabato

SENATE

37
The number of Senate races on the November ballot, the most since 1962.

2
The number of appointed U.S. senators to survive the election, Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). The four others didn’t run: Ted Kaufman (D-DE), Roland Burris (D-IL), George LeMieux (R-FL), Carte Goodwin (D-WV).

White letter R on blue background
November 11, 2010

Cheese Subsidies Are Full of Holes By Froma Harrop

How interesting that one arm of the Agriculture Department is promoting sales of cheese as another urges the public to eat less of it for health reasons. Your tax dollars at work fighting other tax dollars.

White letter R on blue background
November 11, 2010

A Note on Health Care Reform By Joe Conason

Overstating the importance of a midterm election is understandably tempting for politicians and pundits, especially when the partisan turnover reaches historic proportions, as it indisputably did on Nov. 2. It is a temptation to which Republicans and conservatives seem particularly vulnerable.

White letter R on blue background
November 11, 2010

For 49%, Veterans Day Is One of America's Most Important Holidays

Forty-nine percent (49%) of Americans consider Veterans Day to be one of the nation’s most important holidays, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

White letter R on blue background
November 10, 2010

28% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Just 28% of 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, November 7.  This is the first reading following the midterm elections and the lowest finding since mid-August.

White letter R on blue background
November 10, 2010

Americans See Friends and Foes on President’s Asian Itinerary

President Obama’s trip to Asia this week took him back to Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim nation, where he spent some of his childhood. Despite the president’s ongoing outreach to the Muslim world, many Americans remain wary.