Tuesday, July 01, 2008

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Barack Obama’s lead over John McCain has grown even bigger in the historically blue state of Massachusetts. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the Bay State found the Democrat ahead 53% to 33%.

Last month, Obama led McCain 51% to 38%. The Democrat’s strong advantage in the state is no surprise to anyone; Ronald Reagan remains the only Republican presidential nominee win Massachusetts since 1956. In 1972, Massachusetts was the only state to cast its votes for George McGovern.

Rasmussen Markets data shows that Obama is given a % of winning the Bay State’s twelve Electoral College votes this November. Massachusetts is currently rated as “Safely Democratic” in the Rasmussen Reports Balance of Power Calculator.

Obama is viewed favorably by 67% of Massachusetts voters, up from 61% last month. He is viewed unfavorably by 31% of voters.

McCain’s ratings are 57% favorable, up from 53% last month, and 40% unfavorable.

More than one-third of Massachusetts voters (36%) think Hillary Clinton should be Barack Obama’s running mate in the election. Nearly half (48%) disagree. Those numbers show voters in the Bay State are slightly more in favor of an Obama-Clinton ticket than voters nationwide.

While just over a quarter of voters (27%) think McCain is too old to be president, 36% of voters think Obama is too inexperienced for the job. Those numbers are a bit different from the national average, where a larger plurality of voters think Obama is too inexperienced.

Two-thirds of voters in Massachusetts (64%) think bringing the troops home from Iraq is more important than winning the War. Twenty-four percent (24%) disagree and say winning the war is more important.

The survey also found that 50% of voters think offshore drilling should be allowed in order to help reduce gas prices, while 40% disagree. Voters in Massachusetts are much more evenly divided on these issues than voters nationwide. Forty-six percent (46%) of voters in Massachusetts think it is at least somewhat likely gas prices will go down if this practice is allowed.

Just 21% of voters in Massachusetts think George W. Bush is doing a good or excellent job as President. Sixty-four percent (64%) give the president a poor rating.

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