Saturday, May 17, 2008

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The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Alaska voters finds John McCain earning 50% of the vote while Barack Obama attracts 41%. Four percent (4%) say they’d vote for some other candidate while another 4% are not sure (see video report).

While McCain’s nine-percentage point lead is relatively small when compared to recent Republican victory margin in Alaska, it’s a slightly bigger lead than he enjoyed a month ago.

McCain is supported by 82% of Republican voters while Obama attracts 77% of Democratic voters. Over the past month, McCain has gained ground among the state’s large pool of unaffiliated voters. However, Obama still leads among those voters by a 47% to 41% margin.

McCain is viewed favorably by 57% of Alaska voters, down from 63% a month ago. Obama earns positive reviews from 52%, down three points from the previous poll.

Nationally, McCain and Obama are in an extremely close race in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

Rasmussen Markets shows that Republicans are currently given a % chance of winning Alaska’s three Electoral College Votes this fall. George W. Bush won the state by twenty-five points in Election 2004 and by thirty-one points four years earlier. The only Democrat to ever win Alaska was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. At the time the poll was released, Alaska was rated as “Safely Republican” in the Rasmussen Reports Balance of Power Calculator.

Just 15% of Alaska voters believe the United States is heading in the right direction these days. Seventy-eight percent (78%) say the nation has gotten off on the wrong track. Those figures are very close to the national average.

While McCain’s position has improved over the past month, the same is not true for Republican Senator Ted Stevens. His bid for re-election is shaping up to be very challenging.

Forty-one percent (41%) of Alaska voters favor the concept of a federal gas tax holiday for the summer. Forty-nine percent (49%) are opposed. Nationally, voters are evenly divided.

Just 32% believe that the federal government needs more tax revenue to fund important national programs. Fifty-three percent (53%) disagree and believe the federal government has enough revenue.

Fifty-eight percent (58%) are worried that the next President will raise taxes so much that it harms the economy. Thirty-four percent (34%) are worried that the next President will cut taxes so much that it harms important government programs.

By a 64% to 18% margin, Alaska voters are opposed to increasing the capital gains tax. That’s virtually the same as the national average. Sixty percent (60%) of Alaska voters own at least $5,000 worth of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.

Four years ago, George W. Bush won 61% of the vote in Alaska. Today, just 39% of the state’s voters say that President Bush is doing a good or excellent job. Forty-four percent (44%) give his job performance a Poor rating.

Republican Governor Sarah Palin earns much better reviews—69% good or excellent, 9% poor.

See survey questions and toplines. Crosstabs are available for Premium Members only.