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45% Say America’s Best Days Are in the Past, 43% Say They Still Lie Ahead

As Barack Obama prepares to serve a second term as President, American voters are closely divided as to whether the nation’s best days are behind us or still to come. Forty-five percent (45%) of Likely U.S. Voters feel that America’s best days are in the past, but nearly as many (43%) think they are in the future, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twelve percent (12%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 7, 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls -- For The Week Ending November 11, 2012

“One of the strangest aspects of Election 2012 is that voters are demanding change but didn't change politicians. They left Republicans in charge of the House, elected an even more Democratic Senate and re-elected President Obama. They're unhappy with the status quo in the country but left the political status quo in place.” That’s how Scott Rasmussen described the results in his weekly newspaper column. He added that “voters basically threw the same kids back in the room and told them to clean up the mess they've created.”

Now that the election is over, most voters (55%) want the Republicans in Congress to work with the president. However, eight-out-of-ten Republicans disagree and want their representatives to stand for what they believe in rather than compromise. The president is not the only one likely to have trouble with GOP voters. Most Republicans think their representatives in Washington are out of touch with the party’s base.

New High: 68% See Global Warming As Serious Problem

While there was little talk of climate change during the presidential campaign, the number of U.S. voters who see global warming as a serious problem is at an all-time high.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 68% of Likely U.S. Voters now say global warming is at least a somewhat serious problem, including 38% who think it’s Very Serious.  Thirty percent (30%) don’t see global warming as a serious problem, with 12% who think it’s Not At All Serious.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 5, 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.

43% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Forty-three percent (43%) 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 4.

That’s up four points from 39% last week which marked the highest level of optimism since May 2009. The latest finding, the highest of the Obama presidency, is up 19 points from 24% at the beginning of the year and up 26 points from 17% a year ago.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen October 29-November 4, 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. 

50% Favor Health Care Repeal, 44% Oppose

Fifty percent (50%) of Likely U.S. Voters favor repeal of President Obama’s national health care law, while 44% are opposed to repeal, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

A week ago, 54% favored repeal, and most voters have favored repeal of the law in regular surveys since its passage in March 2010. But this is the closest the enthusiasm level on the two sides has ever been: 39% now Strongly Favor repeal, while nearly as many (37%) Strongly Oppose it. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 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.

49% Say U.S. and Allies Are Winning War on Terror

Voter confidence in U.S. efforts in the War on Terror has inched up slightly since the September 11 attack in Libya that left four Americans dead, including the U.S. ambassador there. However, the number of voters who say the terrorists are winning the conflict also has grown.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows 49% believe the United States and its allies are winning the War on Terror, but 25% think the terrorists are winning that war.  Another 19% say neither side has the advantage.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 2,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 31-November 1, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error 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 46%, Democrats 46%

Republicans and Democrats are tied on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending November 4, 2012.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 46% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while another 46% would choose the Democrat instead.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from October 29-November 4, 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.

Rasmussen Employment Index Improves Slightly in October

The Rasmussen Employment Index which measures worker confidence inched up three points in October but remains slightly below the level measured for most of 2012.

At 79.9, the Employment Index has rebounded eight points from August’s 10-month low of 72.0 and is eight points above the level of confidence measured a year ago. Worker confidence is now a point below the level measured in January.

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The survey of 8,810 working Americans was conducted in October 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 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 Senate: Brown (D) 48%, Mandel (R) 48%

The U.S. Senate race in Ohio remains a close one.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Ohio Voters shows Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown and his Republican challenger Josh Mandel each earning 48% support. Two percent (2%) like some other candidate, and another two percent (2%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in Ohio was conducted on November 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.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending November 3, 2012

Too close to call: That’s where we’re at. With eight states, all carried by Barack Obama in 2008, likely to decide the winner.

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll finds President Obama and Mitt Romney tied nationally with 48% support each. 

Our Electoral College Projections show that the president can reasonably assume he has 237 votes locked up to Romney’s 206. The winner needs 270. Eight states, with a total of 95 Electoral College votes, remain toss-ups and will determine whose sworn in as president in January: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Ohio: Obama 49%, Romney 49%

With four days to go, President Obama and Mitt Romney are tied in the critical battleground state of Ohio.   

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Ohio Voters finds Obama and Romney each with 49% support.  Two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate, while one percent (1%) is undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in Ohio was conducted on November 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.

48% Trust GOP More to Handle Economy, 44% Trust Democrats

Voters continue to regard the economy as the number one voting issue, and Republicans still have a slight edge in voter trust when it comes to the economy and six other major issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports.

New national telephone surveying finds that 48% of Likely U.S. Voters trust the Republicans more when it comes to the economy, while 44% have more faith in the Democrats. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Two national surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters each were conducted on October 21-22 and 23-24, 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.

39% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Thirty-nine percent (39%) 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, October 28.

That’s up two points from last week and the highest level of optimism since May 2009. The latest finding is up 15 points from 24% at the beginning of the year and up 22 points from 17% a year ago.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen October 22-28, 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.

2012 Presidential Election Matchups

Rasmussen Reports continues to track Republican challenger Mitt Romney in regular matchups with President Obama.

These matchups are updated each day by 9:30am and include a running history of the results since the beginning of the year.

This information is available to those with Rasmussen Reader subscriptions and Platinum Service only.  To view a free version of our daily presidential tracking poll, click here.

To learn more about our different levels of subscription services that give you access to even more content and data from Rasmussen Reports, click here.

To see how these numbers compare to the 2008 matchups between presidential hopefuls Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama, click here.

Ohio Senate: Brown (D) 50%, Mandel (R) 48%

Incumbent Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown has hit the 50% mark for the first time in his bid for reelection in Ohio.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Ohio Voters finds Brown with 50% support to Republican challenger Josh Mandel’s 48%. One percent (1%) like another candidate in the race, and another one percent (1%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in Ohio was conducted on October 28, 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.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 46%, Democrats 43%

Republicans now lead Democrats by three points on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending October 28, 2012.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 46% 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.

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The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from October 22-28, 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.

Ohio: Romney 50%, Obama 48%

The race for Ohio’s Electoral College votes remains very close but now Mitt Romney now has a two-point advantage.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Ohio Voters shows Romney with 50% support to President Obama’s 48%. One percent (1%) likes some other candidate, while another one percent (1%) remains undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in Ohio was conducted on October 28, 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.

Ohio: Romney 50%, Obama 48%

The race for Ohio’s Electoral College votes remains very close but now Mitt Romney now has a two-point advantage.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Ohio Voters shows Romney with 50% support to President Obama’s 48%. One percent (1%) likes some other candidate, while another one percent (1%) remains undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in Ohio was conducted on October 28, 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.

54% Favor Repeal of Obama’s Health Care Law

Mitt Romney says he will repeal President Obama’s national health care law if he is elected, and most voters continue to believe that’s a good idea.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters favor repeal of the health care law, while just 39% are opposed. This includes 43% who Strongly Favor repeal, and 30% who are Strongly Opposed to it. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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(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 October 27-28, 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.

Wisconsin Senate: Thompson (R) 48%, Baldwin (D) 47%

Former Governor Tommy Thompson and Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin are running closer than ever in Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate race.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Wisconsin Voters shows Thompson with 48% support to Baldwin’s 47%. Two percent (2%) like some other candidate, and four percent (4%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Wisconsin was conducted on October 25, 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.