Mood of America Archive

32% Give Supreme Court Positive Ratings

The U.S. Supreme Court recently announced it will review the constitutionality of the national health care law and Arizona's law cracking down on illegal immigration, although rulings on the high-profile cases are months away. The decisions to review these laws have done little to change voter opinions of the high court.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 32% rate the U.S. Supreme Court as good or excellent, but that includes only five percent (5%) who give the high court an excellent grade. Twenty-one percent (21%) give the Supreme Court a poor rating. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 26, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points ith a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Generic Ballot: Republicans 43%, Democrats 40%

For the third straight week, Republicans hold a three-point edge over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the short holiday week ending Thursday, December 22, finds 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 40% would choose the Democrat instead.

22% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

Twenty-two percent (22%) 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, Dec. 18.  That’s the highest level of optimism measured in over five months.

Nineteen percent (19%) were confident in the nation’s current course the previous week.  Prior to the latest survey, that finding was the highest level of optimism measured in nearly three months.

(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 December 12-18, 2011. 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.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 43%, Democrats 40%

Republicans hold a three-point advantage over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the second week in a row, this time for the week ending Sunday, Dec. 18. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds 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 40% would choose the Democrat instead.

Just 24% Expect Situation in Iraq To Improve In Next Six Months

As the last U.S. troops in Iraq come home, voters continue to have pessimistic views about the near future of the nation the United States has occupied for nearly nine years. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 24% of Likely U.S. Voters think the situation in Iraq will get better in the next six months.  Thirty-eight percent (38%) feel the situation there will get worse in that time, while 26% say it will stay about the same.  Eleven percent (11%) are not sure.  (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.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 12-13, 2011 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.

19% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

Nineteen percent (19%) 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, December 11.  That’s the highest level of optimism measured in nearly three months.  

The latest finding is up two points from last week but is down four points from this time last year.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports December 5-11, 2011. 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.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 42%, Democrats 39%

Republicans hold a three-point advantage over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, Dec. 11. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds 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.

52% Say America’s Best Days Are In The Past

Most voters now share the pessimistic view that America's best days are behind us. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds that just 32% say the country’s best days are in the future, down five points from late October. 

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 4-5, 2011 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.

17% Say Country Heading In Right Direction

Just 17% 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, December 4.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 43%, Democrats 38%

For the second week in a row, Republicans hold a five-point advantage over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot, this time for the week ending Sunday, Dec. 4. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds 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 38% would choose the Democrat instead.

37% Hold Favorable View of Boehner, 31% Say Same of Pelosi

It’s been nearly a year since she was arguably the most powerful person in Congress, but former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi remains the best-known and most unpopular congressional leader. She continues to hold a double-digit lead in terms of unfavorables over John Boehner who took her place as speaker.

Partisan Trends: Democrats Up in November

The number of Democrats in the United States increased by nearly two percentage points in November, while the number of Republicans held steady.

During November, 34.9% of Americans considered themselves to be Democrats, up from 33.1% in October. That’s just a tenth of a point below their best showing of 2011 which came in January.

Rasmussen Reports tracks this information based on telephone interviews with approximately 15,000 adults per month and has been doing so since November 2002. The margin of error for the full sample is less than one percentage point, with a 95% level of confidence.

6% Say Congress Doing Good or Excellent Job, 68% Say Poor

Ratings for Congress now match the lowest levels ever recorded and a solid plurality continue to believe that most Members of Congress are corrupt.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just six percent (6%) of Likely U.S. Voters rate the job Congress is doing as good or excellent.  Sixty-eight percent (68%) view Congress’ job performance as poor.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

From January 2007 through December 2010, with Democrats in control of both the House and Senate, Congress earned good or excellent marks ranging from nine percent (9%) to 26%, although generally their rankings were in the low teens for most of this period. 

16% Say Country Heading in Right Direction

Just 16% 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, November 27.  

The latest finding is down a point from the previous week and is down 13 points from this time last year.

(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 November 21-22 and 27, 2011. 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.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 43%, Democrats 38%

Republicans now hold a five-point advantage over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot after the two were tied for the previous two weeks.  This survey was conducted Nov. 21, 22 and 27. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election was held today, while 38% would choose the Democrat instead.

Voters Still Trust Republicans More Than Democrats on Economy

Republicans continue to be trusted more than Democrats to handle the number one issue on voters’ minds this election, the economy.  On all 10 important issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports, voters now trust Republicans more on seven of these issues.

17% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

Seventeen percent (17%) 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, November 20.  

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports November 14-20, 2011. 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.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 41%, Democrats 40%

For the second week in a row, Democrats and Republicans are essentially tied on the Generic Congressional Ballot, this time for the week ending Sunday, November 20.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election was held now, while 40% would choose the Democrat instead.

18% Say U.S. Heading In Right Direction

Eighteen percent (18%) 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, November 13.    

The latest finding is up a point from a week ago and three points from a month ago, but is down eight points from this time last year.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports November 7-13, 2011. 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.

58% Expect More Partisanship in Washington, D.C.

Most voters continue to believe that politics in the nation’s capital will grow even more partisan, although the number is down slightly from earlier in the year.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows that 58% believe politics in Washington, D.C. will grow more partisan over the next year.