If it's in the News, it's in our Polls. Public opinion polling since 2003.

Political Commentary

Most Recent Releases

September 6, 2023

Debating a Democrat By John Stossel

Colorado has a popular Democratic governor, Jared Polis.

September 5, 2023

What Trump Does for Democracy By Daniel McCarthy

Pauline Kael knew she wasn't a representative American.

September 5, 2023

Biden's Killing the American Dream of Homeownership By Stephen Moore

In boasting about Bidenomics two weeks ago in Milwaukee, President Joe Biden declared that his policies are "restoring the American dream." Then he went into his creepy whispering mode and assured us "it's working."

September 1, 2023

The Tom and Daisy Buchanans North of Richmond By Michael Barone

"These rich men north of Richmond, Lord knows they just wanna have total control." So goes the refrain of singer and songwriter Oliver Anthony's suddenly famous song. "Wanna know what you think, wanna know what you do, and they don't think you know, but I know that you do."

August 30, 2023

Control Versus Choice By John Stossel

COVID cases are up. Hospitalizations climbed 24% last week.

August 29, 2023

Ramaswamy: A Trump Versus Trump? By Daniel McCarthy

In 2016, Donald Trump faced the strongest Republican presidential field in decades.

August 29, 2023

Why Won't COVID Lockdown Artists Admit They Were Wrong? By Stephen Moore

COVID mania just won't go away. The deadly strains of the virus have been gone for two years now, and yet the recent outbreak of a mild flu-like variant is again stoking panic on the Left.

August 25, 2023

Republican Debate: Whatever Happened in the Debate, Fundamentals Could Still Matter By Michael Barone

Having completed the first presidential debate of the 2024 campaign cycle, it's tempting to focus on minor but perhaps momentarily decisive details, such as whether Ron DeSantis was wise to outsource strategy to a committee that he's legally barred from communicating with or whether it was wise for Trump campaign spokesmen to not be allowed in the Fox News spin room.

White letter R on blue background
August 24, 2023

The Atlas of Post-Dobbs Abortion Ballot Measures: Part Two By J. Miles Coleman

Comparing ballot issues to partisan races in VT, CA, MT, KY, and state halves.

KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE

— Vermont and California were two blue states where the pro-abortion rights sides of 2022 ballot measures ran considerably ahead of Democratic nominees for statewide office.

— Also in 2022, voters in Kentucky and Montana defeated GOP-backed abortion-related ballot questions; the results of those votes may provide something of an electoral roadmap for Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY) and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT).

— The pro-abortion rights side has generally run ahead of Democratic candidate performance recently, although there are now examples from several states of Democratic candidates doing better than the ballot issues in a variety of heavily minority areas.

— In each of the seven states that have held abortion-related ballot measures since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling, the pro-abortion rights side has outperformed Biden more In the counties that make up lesser-populated “bottom half” counties in these states.

August 23, 2023

Bad Choices By John Stossel

The betting odds say the next election will likely be a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

August 22, 2023

Take 'Rich Men North of Richmond' Seriously By Daniel McCarthy

You don't need a college degree to understand what's happening in our country.

August 22, 2023

Why Has Biden Declared War on Natural Gas? By Stephen Moore

Natural gas is the world's wonder fuel: cheap, abundant, made in America, reliable AND clean burning.

August 18, 2023

Single Women Are the Odd Men Out, Politically By Michael Barone

America's political parties are the oldest and third-oldest in the world, and they have competed for votes among a population that has been diverse since colonial times. 

White letter R on blue background
August 17, 2023

The Atlas of Post-Dobbs Abortion Ballot Measures: Part One By J. Miles Coleman

Comparing ballot issues to partisan races in KS, OH, and MI.

KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE

— Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decisions last year, seven states have held abortion-related ballot issues, and abortion rights advocates have won all seven contests.

— In Kansas and Michigan, the pro-abortion rights side broadly outperformed the winning Democratic nominees for governor.

— In Ohio, last week’s Issue 1 ballot question, which was cast as a proxy vote on abortion rights, followed a similar pattern, roundly outperforming now-former Rep. Tim Ryan’s (D) showing in last year’s Senate race.

August 16, 2023

College Rip-Off By John Stossel

It's August. Many young people head off to college.

August 15, 2023

How America Kills Its Own By Daniel McCarthy

America is an aging society, but this is no country for old men.

August 15, 2023

Is It Time to Ban Electric Vehicles? By Stephen Moore

The New York Fire Department recently reported that so far this year there have been 108 lithium-ion battery fires in New York City, which have injured 66 people and killed 13. According to FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh, "There is not a small amount of fire, it (the vehicle) literally explodes." The resulting fire is "very difficult to extinguish and so it is particularly dangerous."

August 11, 2023

Which States Attract Outsiders and Which Don't -- 21st Century Version By Michael Barone

Let's take a time out from reports of indictments and threats of impeachment, from nostalgia for the 1940s days of American scientific creativity and ability to get big things done fast ("Oppenheimer") and the 1950s days of American popular culture appealing to every cultural subgroup without the trigger warnings and apologies for past national misdeeds.

White letter R on blue background
August 10, 2023

Ohio’s Issue 1 Smackdown By Kyle Kondik and J. Miles Coleman

The left scores another win in an abortion rights proxy fight; apparent turnout and persuasion edge drives Democratic success.

KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE

— The pro-abortion rights/Democratic side won yet another fight related to abortion rights on Tuesday night, this time in red-trending Ohio.

— Turnout was robust and likely advantaged the Democratic side. Voter participation was relatively poor across Appalachia, a once-competitive area that has become extremely Republican in recent years.

— Issue 1 seemed particularly unpopular in some usually red suburban counties, although we have to remember that ballot issues and partisan races are different and that Republicans are still in a strong position in Ohio.

August 9, 2023

The Fake Climate Consensus By John Stossel

We are told climate change is a crisis, and that there is an "overwhelming scientific consensus."