Archive

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.

National GOP Poll: Gingrich 38% Romney 17%

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has surged to the largest national lead held by any candidate so far in the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters finds Gingrich on top with 38% of the vote. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is a distant second at 17%. No other candidate reaches double-digits.  (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  Republican Primary Voters was conducted on November 30, 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.

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.

National Poll: Gingrich 45% Obama 43%

The Newt Gingrich surge has moved him to the top of the polls in Iowa, big gains in New Hampshire and now a two-point edge over President Obama in a hypothetical general election match-up.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters finds Gingrich attracting 45% of the vote while President Obama earns support from 43%. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate, and six percent (6%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

New Hampshire: Romney 34%, Gingrich 24%, Paul 14%, Huntsman 11%

What a difference a month makes in the race for the Republican nomination. In September, Rick Perry was leading in Iowa and running second in New Hampshire. In October, Herman Cain took the lead in Iowa and was running second in New Hampshire. Now, it’s Newt Gingrich’s turn.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary voters in New Hampshire shows former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney on top at 34%, followed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 24%. This is the first survey of New Hampshire Primary voters conducted since the Manchester Union Leader endorsed Gingrich.

(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.

This New Hampshire survey of 762 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on November 28, 2011 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 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.

Election 2012: Obama 46%, Cain 36%

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain trails President Obama by the exact same 10-point margin as he did  two weeks ago in the latest Election 2012 hypothetical matchup of the two men.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds the president with 46% of the vote, while Cain earns 36% support.

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.

Election 2012: Obama 44%, Romney 38%

President Obama has opened up a six-point lead over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in a hypothetical Election 2012 matchup.  This is the widest gap between the two men since mid-August.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds Obama earning 44% support from Likely Voters, while Romney receives 38% of the vote.

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.

Election 2012: Obama 46%, Gingrich 40%

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, though still trailing, receives his highest level of support yet in a hypothetical Election 2012 matchup with President Obama.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Obama with 46% of the vote to Gingrich’s 40%.

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on November 19-20, 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.

Iowa: Gingrich 32%, Romney 19%, Cain 13%

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has already picked up steam among Republican primary voters nationwide, and now he jumps to the front of the GOP pack among caucus-goers in Iowa.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Iowa Republican caucus-goers shows Gingrich with 32% followed by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney at 19%. Georgia businessman Herman Cain, who led in Iowa last month, drops to third with 13% of the vote. Texas Congressman Ron Paul draws 10% of the vote in Iowa, while Texas Governor Rick Perry and Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann each grab six percent (6%).

Obama 45%, Bachmann 33%

President Obama continues to lead Congresswoman Michele Bachmann by double-digits in a hypothetical 2012 Election matchup. 

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters finds Obama earning 45% of the vote, while Bachmann receives 33% support.

The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on November 15-16, 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.

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.

Election 2012: Obama 46%, Cain 36%

Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain still trails President Obama by double digits in the latest Election 2012 matchup of the two men.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds the president with 46% support, while Cain earns 36%.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on November 13-14, 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.

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.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 41%, Democrats 41%

For the first time in nearly two-and-a-half years, Democrats and Republicans are tied on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, November 13.

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 the identical number (41%) would choose the Democrat instead.

Election 2012: Obama 50%, Gingrich 38%

President Obama has opened a wider gap over Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich, even as the former House Speaker seems to be enjoying a bounce in support nationally among Republican primary voters.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters finds Obama earning 50% support to Gingrich’s 38%.