Most Americans have been following news stories on the presidential campaign more closely than the Olympic Games, but, given the choice, they would rather watch the games.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 58% of adults would choose to watch the Olympics, while 29% say they’d rather watch news on the election.

Democrats are much more likely to tune into election news than Republicans and unaffiliated voters. While 40% of Democrats say they’d rather watch campaign coverage, just 24% of Republicans and 20% of unaffiliated voters agree. The majority of Republicans (63%) and unaffiliated voters (67%) say they’d rather watch Olympics coverage, along with 49% of Democrats.

While nearly half (47%) of African Americans say they would choose campaign news, just 28% of whites agree. Thirty-seven percent (37%) of blacks say they would choose the Olympics, along with 61% of whites.

More than seven out of 10 (71%) Americans say they have been following campaign coverage at least somewhat closely, and 57% say the same about the Olympic Games. Slightly more men (74%) than women (69%) say they have been following election news closely. The same goes for the Olympics. While 60% of men say they have been following the games closely, 53% of women say the same.

While 82% of Democrats say they have been following campaign news closely, 71% of Republicans report the same, along with 57% of unaffiliated voters.

The majority of adults (68%) say they have watched at least some Olympic coverage live on television, and the plurality of adults (42%) say they have seen campaign commercials during the coverage. Another 38% say they have not seen any commercials for presidential campaigns during Olympic coverage.

A survey conducted back in July found that the majority adults said it was likely they would tune into a substantial portion of the games. The same survey found that over half of adults thought it was important for the United States to take home the most medals.

Another survey in July found that most voters do not see the Olympic games as the proper forum for political protests.

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