Mood of America Archive

Economy Continues to Top List of Most Important Issues

The economy remains by far the top issue on voters’ minds as the November elections near. Health care and government corruption are a distant second on a list of 10 top issues regularly surveyed by Rasmussen Reports.

A new national telephone survey finds that 80% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the economy as Very Important to how they will vote in the next election. That's consistent with regular tracking since January 2008. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters each were conducted on September 13-14 and 17-18, 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.

35% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-five percent (35%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, September 16.

That’s down two points from 37% the week before, the highest level of optimism since late June 2009, but is still the highest weekly finding since early April 2010.

From July 25 through December 11 of last year, voter confidence in the nation's current course resembled levels measured in the final months of the George W. Bush administration, remaining in the narrow range of 14% to 19%. That finding began climbing in early January of this year to a high of 34% in the second week of February and had been in the high 20s to low 30s in weekly tracking until two weeks ago.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen September 10-16, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 44%, Democrats 43%

Republicans once again lead Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot, this time for the week ending September 17, 2012.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 43% would choose the Democrat instead.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from September 10-16 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

37% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-seven percent (37%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, September 9.

That’s up six points from the week before and the first time optimism has been this high since late June 2009.

Although the reason for the jump in optimism is not certain, it may be driven in part by increased enthusiasm among Democrats following their national political convention. It will be interesting to see whether this increased optimism holds or is just short-term statistical noise.

Win an iPad: The Rasmussen Challenge! This week's entries will be accepted until 11:59pm ET tonight.

Sign up for The Rasmussen Reader, now just $24.95 for a 12-month subscription. Offer good through October 1, 2012. 

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen September 3-9, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

47% Say America's Best Days Lie Ahead, Highest Since 2010

Forty-seven percent (47%) of voters now think America’s best days are still ahead, up 15 points over last month and the highest level of optimism since early 2010.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 37% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe America’s best days are in the past. That's down from 49% in August.  Sixteen percent (16%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 9-10, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 44%, Republicans 42%

For the first time since January, Democrats now lead Republicans on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending September 9, 2012.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 42% would choose the Republican instead. The last time the Democrats held a lead over the Republicans was in late January.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from September 3-9, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Supreme Court Ratings: 29% Good or Excellent, 28% Poor

Positive ratings for the U.S. Supreme Court’s job performance are hovering near all-time lows.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 29% say the Supreme Court is doing a good or excellent job. Just as many (28%) say the high court is doing a poor job. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 5-6, 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.

Most Voters Still Have an Unfavorable View of Reid, Pelosi

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi continue to be the most disliked leaders of Congress, but none of the top congressional leaders earns high positive reviews from voters. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 29% of Likely U.S. Voters have at least a somewhat favorable impression of Pelosi, while 59% view her unfavorably.  Those figures include a Very Favorable review from 13%, compared to 46% who have a Very Unfavorable opinion of the California Democrat.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on September 3-4, 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.

31% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-one percent (31%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, September 2.

That’s up three points from the week before and the highest finding since early July.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports August 27-September 2, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 43%, Democrats 42%

The Republicans now lead the Democrats by just one point on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, September 2.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 42% would choose the Democrat instead.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from August 27-September 2, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Most Think Next President Likely to Be Republican

Most voters still think the next president is likely to be a Republican, but belief that it’s very likely has changed little for months.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 60% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that the next president will be a Republican. Twenty-five percent (25%) considerate it unlikely that President Obama will be succeeded by a Republican. Sixteen percent (16%) aren’t sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 29-30, 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.

28% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Twenty eight percent (28%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, August 26.

That's down one point from the week before.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports August 20-26, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 42%, Democrats 42%

For the first time since November, Republicans and Democrats run even on the Generic Congressional Ballot.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending Sunday, August 26 shows that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while another 42% would choose the Democrat instead.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from August 20-26, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

8% Think Congress Is Doing A Good Job

The number of voters nationwide who believe Congress is doing a good job remains in single digits.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just eight percent (8%) of Likely U.S. Voters think Congress is doing a good job. Sixty-four percent (64%) give the legislature a poor rating on its job performance. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 22-23, 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.

41% Say Situation in Afghanistan Will Get Worse in Near Future

The death toll of U.S. troops in Afghanistan rose above 2,000 earlier this month, more voters believe the situation there will get worse.  Still, voters tend to believe the United States and its allies are winning the War on Terror.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds that 41% think the situation in Afghanistan will get worse in the next six months. Just 18% predict the situation will get better, while 31% say it will remain about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 20-21, 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.

29% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

For the second week in a row, 29% of Likely U.S. Voters say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, August 19.

From July 25 through December 11 of last year, voter confidence in the nation's current course resembled levels measured in the final months of the George W. Bush administration, remaining in the narrow range of 14% to 19%. That finding began climbing in early January of this year to a high of 34% in the second week of February and has been in the high 20s to low 30s in weekly tracking ever since.

Sign up for The Rasmussen Reader, now just $24.95 for a 12-month subscription . Offer good through October 1, 2012.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports August 13-19, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 42%, Democrats 41%

Republicans now lead Democrats by just a point on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, August 19.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 41% would choose the Democrat instead.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from August 13-19, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

On Economy, 45% Trust Republicans, 40% Democrats

Voters now trust Republicans slightly more than Democrats on eight of 10 important issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports, including the most important one:  the economy. 

The latest national telephone survey finds that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters trust Republicans more to handle the economy, while 40% place their trust in Democrats. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).  Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

Two national surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters each were conducted on August 8-9 & 12-13, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

29% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, August 12.

The latest finding is up two points from the previous week.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports August 6-12, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 42%, Democrats 39%

Republicans lead Democrats by three points on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the sixth week in a row, this time for the week ending Sunday, August 12.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 39% would choose the Democrat instead.