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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 March 2.

That’s down four points from 32% the previous week and is the lowest level of optimism since mid-December. Prior to last week’s recent high, this finding had seesawed between 29% and 30% every week since mid-December. The latest number is identical to the level measured one year ago.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on February 24-March 2, 2014. 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.

Texas Governor: Abbott (R) 53%, Davis (D) 41%

Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott leads Democratic State Senator Wendy Davis by 12 points in Rasmussen Reports’ first look at the 2014 Texas gubernatorial race.

The latest statewide survey of Likely Texas Voters shows Abbott with 53% support to 41% for Davis. At this early point in the campaign, there are surprisingly few voters who haven’t already made up their minds: One percent (1%) likes some other candidate in the race, and four percent (4%) 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 500 Likely Voters in Texas was conducted on March 3-4, 2014 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.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 39%, Republicans 36%

Democrats hold a three-point lead over Republicans on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending Sunday, March 2, finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today. Thirty-six percent (36%) would choose the Republican instead. This is the first time both parties have earned less than 40% support since mid-September, suggesting there is a high level of voter unhappiness with the two of them. 

(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 February 24-March 2, 2014. 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. 

Obama's Job Approval Is Up by One in February

When tracking President Obama’s job approval on a daily basis, people sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations that they miss the bigger picture.  To look at the longer-term trends, Rasmussen Reports compiles the numbers on a full-month basis, and the results can be seen in the graphics below.  

The president’s monthly job approval rating rose a point to 49% in February. That’s up from 45% in November, the president’s lowest monthly approval in two years, but still down seven points from December 2012’s recent high of 56%. The president's daily job approval ratings took a hard hit in November from the problems surrounding the rollout of the new national health care law. Through much of November and early December, Obama’s daily job approval ratings were at the lowest levels of his entire presidency. In recent weeks, however, his approval ratings have been running at levels seen for much of the last five years.

(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.

Daily tracking results are collected via telephone surveys of 500 likely voters per night. The monthly numbers in this article are based on approximately 15,000 interviews each month with likely voters. The margin of sampling error is less than +/- 1 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

33% Say They’ve Been Personally Hurt by Health Care Law

One-in-three U.S. voters now says his or her health insurance coverage has changed as a result of Obamacare, and the same number say the new national health care law had a negative personal impact on them. 

Forty percent (40%) of Likely U.S. Voters have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of the health care law, while 56% regard it unfavorably, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. This includes 16% who view the law Very Favorably and 41% who have a Very Unfavorable opinion of it. (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 February 28 – March 1, 2014 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.

25% Think High School Graduates Have Skills Needed For A Job

Voters aren’t exactly thrilled with the skills possessed by students graduating from high school these days, but they are slightly more confident that they are prepared to enter the workforce.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 25% of Likely U.S. Voters think most high school graduates have the skills needed to enter the workforce. But that’s up from 21% last October and the highest level of optimism measured in tracking since March 2012.  Sixty-four percent (64%) still don’t think most graduates have the skills needed to work. Eleven percent (11%) 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 February 24-25, 2014 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 March 1, 2014

It’s tax time, and Americans aren’t in much of a spending mood.

South Dakota Senate: Rounds (R) 51%, Weiland (D) 31%

Former Governor Mike Rounds has a commanding lead over Democrat Rick Weiland in Rasmussen Reports’ first look at the likely 2014 U.S. Senate race in South Dakota.

A new statewide telephone survey of Likely South Dakota Voters finds Rounds ahead of Weiland by 20 points - 51% to 31% - in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Senator Tim Johnson. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate, while 11% 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 500 Likely Voters in South Dakota was conducted on February 25-26, 2014 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.

32% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-two percent (32%) 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 February 23.

That’s up from 30% the previous week and is the highest level of optimism since the first week of June 2013. Prior to this week, this finding had seesawed between 29% and 30% every week since mid-December. A year ago, 34% said the country was headed 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 February 17-23, 2014. 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: Democrats 41%, Republicans 37%

Democrats hold a four-point lead over Republicans for the second week in a row on the Generic Congressional Ballot.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending Sunday, February 23, finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today. Thirty-seven percent (37%) would choose the Republican instead. This is unchanged from the previous week  and the third week in a row the Democrats have had the 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 February 17-23, 2014. 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.

West Virginia Senate: Capito (R) 49%, Tennant (D) 35%

Republican Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito posts a 14-point lead over Democrat Natalie Tennant in Rasmussen Reports’ first look at the likely 2014 U.S. Senate race in West Virginia.

A new statewide telephone survey finds that Capito earns 49% support from Likely West Virginia Voters to Tennant’s 35%. Four percent (4%) prefer another candidate in the race, and 12% 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 500 Likely Voters in West Virginia was conducted on February 19-20, 2014 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.

44% Favor Health Law’s Individual Insurance Mandate

Voters remain almost evenly divided over the new government requirement that every American must have health insurance, while support for a single-payer government-run health care system is at its highest level in over a year.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters think the federal government should require every American to buy or obtain health insurance. Forty-six percent (46%) oppose this so-called individual mandate that is part of the new national health care law. 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 February 22-23, 2014 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 February 22, 2014

Let’s party – or maybe not. That’s the big decision facing Republicans this election cycle.

46% Rate Obama Poorly on Health Care, 41% Positively

Voters' ratings for President Obama's handling of health care issues have rebounded since the disastrous weeks following the rollout of Obamacare on October 1. Voters are now closely divided over the quality of the job he is doing in this area.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters give the president good or excellent marks for his handling of issues related to health care. That's up 11 points from 30% in mid-November, the lowest finding in over a year of regular monthly surveying. Slightly more (46%) still give the president poor marks in this area, but that's down nine points from November's high of 55%. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 18-19, 2014 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% Blame Global Warming on Long-Term Planetary Trends

Though many voters believe there is significant disagreement in the scientific community, global warming advocates seem to be winning the public relations battle with fewer voters than ever who now think it is due to long-term planetary trends. The number who blame global warming on human activity, however, is unchanged from findings over the past 18 months, and voters still aren't overly enthusiastic about paying more to deal with the climate issue.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 63% of Likely U.S. Voters believe global warming is at least a somewhat serious problem, including 30% who say it is Very Serious. Thirty-two percent (32%) don’t consider global warming a serious problem, with 13% who say it’s Not At All Serious. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 18-19, 2014 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.

30% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty percent (30%) 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 February 16.

That's up from 29% the previous two weeks. This finding has seesawed between 29% and 30% every week since mid-December and is consistent with attitudes for much of the Obama presidency. 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 February 10-16, 2014. 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.

8% Think Congress Is Doing A Good or Excellent Job

Voters continue to give Congress rock-bottom ratings, and very few think members of Congress get reelected because they are good at their job.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just eight percent (8%) of Likely U.S. Voters rate the job Congress is doing as good or excellent. Sixty-six percent (66%) think Congress is doing a poor job. That’s unchanged from last month but still an improvement from November when 75% said Congress was going a poor job, the legislators' highest negative 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 February 16-17, 2014 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.

39% Give Obama Positive Marks for Economic Fairness, 39% Say Poor

President Obama made income inequality the central issue of last month's State of the Union address, but voters give the president only slightly better marks now when it comes to his handling of issues related to economic fairness.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters think the president is doing a good or excellent job in this area. That's up from 37% in December but still down from 42% a year ago. However, just 39% also say the president is doing a poor job when it comes to economic fairness, down five points from two months ago and his lowest negative in a year. (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 February 12-13, 2014 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. 

Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 41%, Republicans 37%

Democrats continue to hold a lead over Republicans on Generic Congressional Ballot.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey from the week ending Sunday, February 16 finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today. Thirty-seven percent (37%) would choose the Republican instead. Democrats led by two points – 40% to 38% - the previous week. The two parties traded leads the first two weeks of February.

(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 February 10-16, 2014. 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. 

New High: 77% Support Purchasing Health Insurance Across State Lines

Just over half of voters still have an unfavorable opinion of the new national health care law, though slightly more now support the government requiring all plans to cover the same set of medical procedures than they have since October. Voters still strongly support choice when it comes to health insurance.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the new law at least somewhat favorably, while 52% share an unfavorable opinion of it. This includes 16% with a Very Favorable view and 40% 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 February 14-15, 2014 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.