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

2008 Presidential Election

Most Recent Releases

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August 5, 2008

Voters’ Trust for McCain on Key Issues Growing

John McCain is now trusted more than Barack Obama on nine out of 14 electoral issues tracked by Rasmussen Reports. The latest national telephone surveys find that McCain has the biggest advantage on the war in Iraq, by a 51% to 39% margin.

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August 4, 2008

Voters Like Obama’s Energy Credit for Working Families, But Give Mixed Reviews to Windfall Profits Tax

With Barack Obama launching an energy offensive this week to regain ground lost to John McCain and the Republicans, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that most voters favor the presumptive Democratic nominee’s proposal for a $1,000 energy credit for working families.

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August 4, 2008

Affirmative Action Important to 54% of Voters; 58% Reject Programs that Give Special Treatment

John McCain’s rejection of affirmative action as presently constituted drew stony silence from a black audience on Friday, but even Barack Obama has problems with the government’s use of a quota system to advance women and minorities. Both men are careful, too, to suggest that something needs to take its place.

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August 3, 2008

Only 22% Say McCain Ad Racist, But Over Half (53%) See Obama Dollar-bill Comment That Way

Sixty-nine percent (69%) of the nation’s voters say they’ve seen news coverage of the McCain campaign commercial that includes images of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton and suggests that Barack Obama is a celebrity just like them. Of those, just 22% say the ad was racist while 63% say it was not.

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July 31, 2008

30% of Conservative Democrats Say They’ll Vote for McCain

Thirty percent (30%) of conservative Democrats say they’re voting for John McCain. Rasmussen Reports data also shows the Republican hopeful picking up support from 19% of White Democrats and 15% of Democrats over the age of 50.

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July 30, 2008

More Voters than Ever Say They Would Vote for Black Candidate, Still Not Sure About Friends

Since Barack Obama has sealed the Democratic nomination, more voters say they are willing to vote for an African-American presidential candidate than ever before.

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July 30, 2008

Obama Trip: No Gain for the Democrat, No Pain for McCain

Voters view Barack Obama’s highly publicized trip to Europe and the Middle East last week as a complete wash from a political standpoint, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

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July 30, 2008

In White House Race, Twice As Many Voters Uncommitted Compared to Four Years Ago

When given a choice between Barack Obama and John McCain for President, 14% of voters are uncommitted. That figure includes 6% who say they’d vote for some other candidate and 8% who are undecided.

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July 29, 2008

Americans, Split on Which is More Important – Offshore Drilling or Crackdown on Speculators

Voters are nearly evenly divided on which is more important– cracking down on speculators or lifting the ban on offshore drilling -- as the debate comes to a head in Congress this week over how to fight rising gas and oil prices. As far as public opinion is concerned, the best answer would be to do both.

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July 28, 2008

Edwards, Clinton are Top Favorites – and Top Unfavorites – For Obama Veep Slot

When it comes to whom voters like among Barack Obama’s possible running mates, it’s all about the also-rans. A new Rasmussen Reports national survey finds that 56% have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, including 21% who view him Very favorably.

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July 28, 2008

Huckabee, Lieberman Have Highest Favorables among Possible McCain Veep Choices

John McCain’s camp signaled last week that the Republican might name a running mate to deflect some of the media glare from Barack Obama’s overseas trip, but ultimately no names were announced. Meanwhile, at least one of the key contenders for the job, Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, announced that he is not interested.

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July 25, 2008

55% Rate Obama’s Berlin Speech Good or Excellent

Over half of Americans (55%) rate Barack Obama’s historic speech in Berlin yesterday good or excellent, and the Democratic presidential candidate is experiencing a modest bounce over John McCain nationally in the latest Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

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July 25, 2008

Military Veterans Favor McCain 56% to 37%

Voters who have served in the U.S. military favor John McCain over Barack Obama by a 56% to 37% margin.

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July 23, 2008

63% Say Trip Does Not Make Obama More Fit to be President

While Barack Obama has touted his travel to the Middle East and Europe this week as a “fact-finding” trip, 63% of Americans do not believe it makes the Democratic candidate any more qualified to be president.

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July 23, 2008

Romney Tops List of Possible McCain Running Mates

With Washington abuzz over speculation that John McCain will announce his running mate this week to take some of the focus off Barack Obama’s overseas travels, over a third of U.S. voters say Mitt Romney will be the Republican vice presidential candidate.

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July 21, 2008

Belief Growing That Reporters are Trying to Help Obama Win

The idea that reporters are trying to help Obama win in November has grown by five percentage points over the past month. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey, taken just before the new controversy involving the New York Times erupted, found that 49% of voters believe most reporters will try to help the Democrat with their coverage, up from 44% a month ago.

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July 15, 2008

Obama Leads Bush by Twenty, But Clinton Does Better Against McCain

Barack Obama says a vote for John McCain is a vote for George W. Bush’s third term, but a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that the Democratic hopeful would have a much easier time of it if he were actually running against the incumbent president this year.

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July 11, 2008

Rasmussen Markets Show No Clear Favorites in Veepstakes

Rasmussen Markets data on Friday morning shows that Hillary Clinton is given a 16% chance of becoming her party’s Vice-Presidential nominee. Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius is a close second at 15% and Indiana Senator Evan Bayh is the only other Democrat to reach double digits at 12%.

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July 9, 2008

Voters Reject Obama's call for Bilingualism

Barack Obama said yesterday that “instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English,” Americans “need to make sure your child can speak Spanish.” A national telephone survey conducted last month by Rasmussen Reports found that U.S. voters overwhelmingly disagree with the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

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July 9, 2008

Voters See Iraq as Biggest Difference Between Obama, McCain

Going strictly by the numbers, the biggest perceived difference between Barack Obama and John McCain can be found on the issue of Iraq.