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Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 40%, Democrats 40%

As 2013 comes to a close, Republicans and Democrats are running even - for the second time this month - on the Generic Congressional Ballot.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending December 29 finds that 40% 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. The previous week, the GOP candidate held a three-point lead.

(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 December 23-29, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

58% Expect Health Care To Cost More Under Obamacare

At the end of the year that Obamacare made its official debut, most voters still believe the new law will drive up health care costs, increase the deficit and hurt the quality of health care in this country.

Fifty-six percent (56%) of Likely U.S. Voters view the health care law at least somewhat unfavorably, with 41% who have a Very Unfavorable opinion of it. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 40% share a favorable view of the law, including 17% with a Very Favorable one. (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 27-28, 2013 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending December 29, 2013

So where does the nation stand just before we launch into a tempestuous congressional election year?

29% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending December 22.

That’s up three points from 26% the previous week and the highest level of confidence since early September. In early October during the federal government shutdown, confidence in the country’s course fell to 13%, the lowest finding in five years. A year ago, 35% said the country was heading in the right direction.

(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 on December 16-22, 2013. 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 have taken a three-point lead on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending December 22.

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. The previous week, the two parties ran dead even with 40% support each.

After running neck-and-neck for several months, Democrats jumped out to a seven-point lead the second week of October as the battle over the government shutdown escalated. However, as problems surrounding the rollout of the new national health care law mounted, the Democrats’ lead vanished.

(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 December 16-22, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

27% Say Their Insurance Has Changed Because of Health Care Law

Most voters remain unhappy with the new national health care law, with more than one-in-four continuing to say the law has changed their health insurance coverage.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters share at least a somewhat favorable opinion of the health care law, while 54% view it unfavorably. This includes 20% with a Very Favorable opinion of the law and 42% with a Very Unfavorable one. (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 20-21, 2013 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.

75% Think Parents Should Decide If There Is Prayer in Their Child's School

Most voters still strongly believe parents should have a choice on uniforms, prayer in school and calendar schedules when sending their children to school.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely U.S. Voters think parents should have a choice between sending their children to a school where uniforms are required and one where they are not. Twenty-three percent (23%) disagree, while 18% 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 18-19, 2013 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending December 21, 2013

Americans need a little holly jolly time as the year comes to an end.

42% Give Obama Poor Marks for Leadership

Positive reviews of President Obama’s leadership fell again this month and now stand at their lowest level in two years.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters now give Obama good or excellent marks for leadership. That's down a point from November, down 16 points from last December and his lowest positives since December 2011. Slightly more (42%) rate the president’s leadership as poor. That's down a bit from 44% last month which was the president's highest negative rating since September 2010. (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 18-19, 2013 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.

42% Give Obama Poor Marks for Leadership

Positive reviews of President Obama’s leadership fell again this month and now stand at their lowest level in two years.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters now give Obama good or excellent marks for leadership. That's down a point from November, down 16 points from last December and his lowest positives since December 2011. Slightly more (42%) rate the president’s leadership as poor. That's down a bit from 44% last month which was the president's highest negative rating since September 2010. (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 18-19, 2013 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.

49% Rate Obama Poorly on Deficit Reduction

Despite his support of the new bipartisan budget deal, nearly half of voters now rate President Obama poorly on his efforts to reduce the deficit, and he only fares marginally better when it comes to policies related to economic fairness.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 49% of Likely U.S. Voters give Obama poor marks for his handling of issues related to deficit reduction, up three points from 46% in October and down just point from this year's high of 50% in July. Just 34% give the president good or excellent marks in this area, largely in line with findings throughout 2013. (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, 2013 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. 

26% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Twenty-six percent (26%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending December 15.

That’s down two points from 28% the previous week which was the highest level of confidence since late September. In early October during the federal government shutdown, confidence in the country’s course fell to 13%, the lowest finding in five years. A year ago, 37% said the country was heading in the right direction.

During President Obama’s first months in office, the number of voters who felt the country was headed in the right direction rose steadily to 40% in early May 2009. In 2010 and 2011, confidence fell to the narrow range of 14% to 19%, levels similar to those measured in the final months of the George W. Bush administration. Optimism began easing up in again in mid-December 2011.

(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 on December 9-15, 2013. 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.

New High: 66% View U.S. Economy As Unfair to the Middle Class

Most voters continue to believe the U.S. economy is fair to women, blacks and Hispanics, but more than ever view it as unfair to the middle class.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 32% of Likely U.S. Voters now believe the economy is fair to the middle class, down from a high of 43% in January. A new high for the year of 66% describe the economy as unfair to the middle class. These findings include seven percent (7%) who say the economy is Very Fair and 26% who see it as Not At All Fair. (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 national telephone survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from December 12-13, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey 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. 

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 40%, Democrats 40%

As Congress works on a bipartisan deal to avoid another government shutdown, Republicans have lost their lead and are now running even with Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending December 15.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while another 40% would choose the Republican instead. This is the first time the two parties have run even since the first week of October.

Republicans held a 43% to 38% margin lead over Democrats for the last two weeks. It was their largest lead since June 17, 2012 and the highest level of support the GOP had earned since just before Election Day in early November of 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 from December 9-15, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

58% Oppose Health Care Law’s Individual Mandate

Opposition to Obamacare's requirement that every American must have health insurance has risen to its highest level ever.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 33% of Likely U.S. Voters still believe the government should require every American to buy or obtain health insurance, showing little change from November. But 58% oppose that mandate, up from 54% last month and the highest level of opposition to date. Ten percent (10%) are undecided. (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 14-15, 2013 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending December 14, 2013

For voters, it seems, you can’t always get what you want.

Only 12% of Likely U.S. Voters favor a federal budget that increases government spending, but that’s just what the bipartisan budget deal passed by the House late this week does. It restores billions cut by the sequester on March 30 and puts off potential savings for several years.

7% Think Congress is Doing a Good or Excellent Job

While Congress is working on a bipartisan budget deal that would prevent another partial government shutdown, its job performance ratings remains near their all-time low. Voters' criticism of their own representative in Congress is at its highest level this year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only seven percent (7%) of Likely U.S. Voters think Congress is doing a good or excellent job, unchanged from last month. Congress' positive ratings bottomed out at five percent (5%) in late December of last year but have been only slightly higher through all of 2013. Seventy-four percent (74%) rate the legislators’ performance as poor, a one-point improvement from November which marked their highest negatives in seven years of regular surveying.  (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 10-11, 2013 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. 

46% Rate Obama Poorly on Economy

Positive views of President Obama’s economic leadership have rebounded slightly since hitting its lowest level in a year-and-a-half earlier this month.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 36% of Likely U.S. Voters now give the president good or excellent marks for his handling of economic issues. That's up from 32% in early December, his lowest positives since June of last year. Forth-six percent (46%) still rate the president's economic performance as poor, down slightly from 48% in the previous survey. (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 8-9, 2013 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.

14% View Education Secretary Arne Duncan Favorably

Arne Duncan is President Obama’s point man for the controversial Common Core national education standards being imposed on schools all over the country, but he remains largely unknown to voters after nearly five years of serving as the U.S. secretary of Education.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 14% of Likely U.S. Voters have a favorable opinion of Duncan, while 16% view him unfavorably. This includes four percent (4%) with a Very Favorable regard for the former chief executive officer of the Chicago school system and six percent (6%) with a Very Unfavorable one. But 63% say they have never heard of Duncan, while another eight percent (8%) 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 national survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on December 6-7, 2013 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.

28% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Twenty-eight percent (28%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending December 8.

That's up three points from 25% the previous week and the highest level of confidence since late September. In early October during the federal government shutdown, confidence in the country’s course fell to 13%, the lowest finding in five years. A year ago, 38% said the country was heading in the right direction.

(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 on December 2-8, 2013. 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.