Election 2012 Archive

Nebraska: Romney 52%, Obama 35%

The top two Republican presidential hopefuls hold double-digit leads over President Obama in Nebraska, a state which has gone for the GOP candidate in every presidential election but one since 1940.

The first Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Cornhusker State shows former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney leading the president by 17 points - 52% to 35%. Ten percent (10%) prefer some other candidate in the race, while three percent (3%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

This Nebraska survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted March 5, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Massachusetts: Obama 55%, Romney 38%

Mitt Romney trails President Obama in a head-to-head matchup in Massachusetts, and voters in the Bay State have mixed feelings about their former governor who now wants to sit in the White House.  

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters in the state finds Obama earning 55% support to Romney’s 38%.  Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, while three percent (3%) are undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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This Massachusetts survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted February 29, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

National GOP: Romney 40%, Santorum 24%, Gingrich 16%, Paul 12%

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, coming off his primary wins in Arizona and Michigan, has jumped to a 16-point lead over Rick Santorum in the battle for the Republican presidential nomination. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters shows Romney with 40% support to 24% for the former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania. This is Romney's biggest lead to date and the highest level of support any GOP candidate has earned in regular surveying of the race. Two weeks ago, it was Santorum 39%, Romney 27%. 

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich earns 16% support, closely followed by Texas Congressman Ron Paul at 12%. Two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate, and six percent (6%) are undecided. The new findings mark virtually no change in national support for Gingrich and Paul. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on February 29, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Obama Leads Romney, Santorum In Wisconsin

President Obama holds modest leads over the top two Republican presidential hopefuls in Wisconsin.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters in the Badger State finds Obama ahead of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney 47% to 42%. Five percent (5%) prefer some other candidate, and five percent (5%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

In a matchup with former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, Obama leads 46% to 41% among Wisconsin voters. Five percent (5%) prefer some other candidate in the race, and eight percent (8%) remain undecided.

This Wisconsin survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted February 27, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Wisconsin Senate: Thompson (R) 50%, Baldwin (D) 36%

Former Governor Tommy Thompson continues to be the strongest Republican contender for Wisconsin’s open U.S. Senate seat, now posting a double-digit lead over Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Wisconsin shows Thompson with 50% support to Baldwin’s 36%. Four percent (4%) like some other candidate, and 10% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Wisconsin was conducted on February 27, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Obama, Romney Nearly Tied in Pennsylvania, Santorum Trails

Mitt Romney runs neck-and-neck with President Obama in the key electoral state of Pennsylvania, but Rick Santorum, a former U.S. senator from the Keystone State, trails the incumbent by six points. Most voters in the state disapprove of the job the president is doing.

New Rasmussen Reports data shows that if Romney is the Republican presidential nominee, Obama leads 45% to 44%. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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This Pennsylvania survey of 438 Likely Voters was conducted February 8-23, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Montana Senate: Rehberg (R) 47%, Tester (D) 44%

Democratic incumbent Jon Tester runs slightly behind his leading Republican challenger in his bid for reelection in Montana’s U.S. Senate race.

A new telephone survey of Likely Voters in the state finds Republican Congressman Denny Rehberg earning 47% support to Tester’s 44% in Rasmussen Reports’ first look at this contest.  Four percent (4%) prefers some other candidate, while five percent (5%) are undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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This Montana survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on February 22, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

Obama Leads Romney, Santorum in Virginia

President Obama now holds single-digit leads over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum in hypothetical matchups in the key battleground state of Virginia.

The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Virginia Voters shows Obama drawing 49% support to Romney's 43%. Five percent (5%) prefer some other candidate in the race, while three percent (3%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
 

With Santorum as the Republican nominee, Obama holds a 51% to 43% lead. Five percent (5%) like some other candidate, and two percent (2%) are undecided.

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The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Virginia was conducted on February 21, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Arizona GOP Primary: Romney 39%, Santorum 31%, Gingrich 15%, Paul 7%

The Arizona Republican Primary race has tightened dramatically over the past two weeks, but former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney remains in first place with Rick Santorum close behind. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Arizona Republican Primary Voters finds Romney with 39% support to Santorum’s 31%. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is a distant third with 15% of the vote, followed by Texas Congressman Ron Paul at seven percent (7%). Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate in the race, and five percent (5%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

This Arizona survey of 750 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on February 16, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

National GOP: Santorum 39%, Romney 27%, Gingrich 15%, Paul 10%

Follow the bouncing ball. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum has now bounced to a 12-point lead over Mitt Romney in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters finds Santorum with 39% support to the former Massachusetts governor’s 27%. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich follows from a distance with 15% of the vote, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul runs last with 10%. Three percent (3%) like some other candidate in the race, and six percent (6%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on February 14, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Michigan GOP Primary: Santorum 35%, Romney 32%

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, following his wins last week in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri, has now jumped ahead of Mitt Romney in Michigan's Republican Primary race.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters in Michigan shows Santorum with 35% of the vote to Romney’s 32%. Well behind are Texas Congressman Ron Paul with 13% and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 11%. Only one percent (1%) prefers some other candidate in the race, while eight percent (8%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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This Michigan survey of 750 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on February 13, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Florida Senate: Mack (R) 41%, Nelson (D) 41%

Republican Congressman Connie Mack now runs dead even with incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson in Florida’s 2012 U.S. Senate race. But Nelson outdistances two other potential GOP challengers, former Senator George LeMieux and businessman Mike McCalister.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Florida Voters finds Mack and Nelson earning 41% support each. Five percent (5%) like some other candidate in the race, and 12% remain undecided at this early stage. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

In Rasmussen Reports’ first survey of the Florida Senate race last November, Mack, a congressman from the Fort Myers/Naples area, posted a modest 43% to 39% lead over Nelson, a member of the Senate since 2000 when he won the election to fill the seat vacated by Mack’s father.

Nelson posts at 45% to 35% lead over LeMieux, who then-Governor Charlie Crist named to the Senate in September 2009 to complete the term of Senator Mel Martinez who resigned from office early. LeMieux chose not to seek a full Senate term in the 2010 elections because of Crist’s decision to run. Crist was defeated by Marco Rubio. Given a Nelson-LeMieux matchup, five percent (5%) of Florida voters again prefer some other candidate, and 15% are undecided.

Nelson holds a narrower lead – 43% to 37% - over McCalister, a political newcomer. Five percent (5%) favor some other candidate in the contest, and 15% are undecided.

This Florida survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on February 13, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Florida: Obama Nearly Tied With Santorum, Ahead of Romney

In Florida as in Ohio and among voters nationally, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum now runs slightly stronger against President Obama than Republican front-runner Mitt Romney. Obama is essentially even with Santorum in the Sunshine State but leads Romney by three points. 

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Florida shows Obama earning 47% support to Santorum's 46%. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and four percent (4%) remain undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Florida was conducted on February 9, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

Ohio: Obama Leads Romney, Tied with Santorum

President Obama runs slightly ahead of Mitt Romney and dead even with Rick Santorum in Rasmussen Reports’ first Election 2012 look at the key battleground state of Ohio.

A new telephone survey of Likely Voters in the state finds Obama earning 45% support to Romney’s 41%. Ten percent (10%) like some other candidate in the race, and four percent (4%) remain undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Ohio was conducted on February 8, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

National GOP: Romney 34%, Gingrich 27%, Santorum 18%, Paul 11%

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney now holds a seven-point lead over Newt Gingrich to reclaim the lead in the national race for the Republican presidential nomination.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters shows Romney with 34% support to Gingrich’s 27%.  Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania gets 18% of the vote, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul runs last with 11%. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate in the race, and seven percent (7%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on February 6, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Arizona GOP Primary: Romney 48%, Gingrich 24%, Santorum 13%, Paul 6%

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has a big lead over his rivals in the first Rasmussen Reports survey of the Republican primary race in Arizona. The state's Republicans vote on February 28. A new telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters in Arizona shows Romney with 48% support, while former House Speaker Newt Gingrich comes in a distant second with 24%. Thirteen percent (13%) prefer former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, and six percent (6%) support Texas Congressman Ron Paul. Two percent (2%) like some other candidate in the race, and six percent (6%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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This Arizona survey of 750 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on February 1, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Florida GOP Primary: Romney 39%, Gingrich 31%, Santorum 12%, Paul 9%

Mitt Romney has jumped back ahead in the fevered Florida Republican Primary race with his support back to where it was before Newt Gingrich’s big win Saturday in South Carolina.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Florida Republican Primary Voters, taken Wednesday night, shows Romney with 39% support to Gingrich’s 31%. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum earns 12%, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul runs last with nine percent (9%). Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate, and seven percent (7%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here).

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This Florida survey of 750 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on January 25, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

2012 Presidential Election Matchups

Rasmussen Reports is now tracking the four named Republicans remaining in the race in regular matchups with the President Obama.  Rasmussen Reports will match up Obama with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, the current leaders in the contest for the GOP presidential nomination, every day. These numbers will be reported on a three day rolling average.  We will test former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum and Texas Congressman Ron Paul against the president weekly.

The tables on this page will be updated each day by 9:30am and will contain the entire history of these matchups.  This page can only be viewed if you have a Rasmussen Reader membership.

National Poll: Gingrich 35%, Romney 28%, Santorum 16%, Paul 10%

After his game-changing win in South Carolina, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich continues to ride his surge to the front of the pack among likely Republican primary voters nationwide. He now leads Mitt Romney by seven points.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely GOP Primary Voters shows Gingrich with 35% of the vote, representing an eight-point increase in support from last week. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney now draws 28%. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum’s support is little changed at 16%, while Texas Congressman Ron Paul picks up 10%.

Just two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate in the race, while nine percent (9%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on January 23, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

National GOP Poll: Romney 30%, Gingrich 27%

The race for the Republican presidential nomination is now nearly even with Mitt Romney still on top but Newt Gingrich just three points apart.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters nationwide shows Romney with 30% support and Gingrich with 27% of the vote. Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, who was running second two weeks ago, has now dropped to 15%. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on January 17, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.