Wednesday, June 18, 2008

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In one of the bigger surprises of Election 2008, early polling shows Barack Obama as potentially competitive in Alaska.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Alaska voters finds John McCain earning 45% of the vote while Barack Obama attracts 41%. Seven percent (7%) say they’d vote for some other candidate while another 6% are not sure ( see video report). This is the third straight poll showing Obama within single digits of the presumptive GOP nominee. A month ago, McCain was up by nine. Two months ago, it was McCain by nine.

McCain is supported by 78% of Republican voters while Obama attracts 74% of Democratic voters. Among those not affiliated with either major party, it’s Obama 48% McCain 33%. A month ago, Obama attracted 47% of unaffiliateds while McCain was supported by 41%.

McCain is viewed favorably by 57% of Alaska voters, Obama by 53%. Both figures are up a point over the past month.

Nationally, since wrapping up the Democratic Presidential Nomination, Obama has enjoyed a modest lead over McCain 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 “Likely Republican” in the Rasmussen Reports Balance of Power Calculator.

Twenty-one percent (21%) of Alaska voters say that McCain is too old to be President while 45% say Obama is too inexperienced.

When it comes to the War in Iraq, 46% say it is more important to get troops home than it is to win the War. Another 46% disagree and say victory is more important. Nationally, most voters say getting the troops home is the higher priority.

Seventy-one percent (71%) of Alaska voters favor offshore oil drilling to help reduce gas prices. Nationally, 67% hold that view.

Forty-two percent (42%) say free trade is good for the nation while 29% say it is bad. Nationally, views are mixed and 56% say that the North American Free Trade Agreement should be renegotiated.

Sixty-four percent (64%) say that the federal government has become a special interest group that looks out primarily for its own interests. Only 20% disagree.

Twenty percent (20%) say the government today reflects the will of the American people. That’s a bit higher than the national average.

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