Issues 2006
When asked about some issues that may impact Election 2006, 75% of Americans rate Health Care as "very important." Seventy-four percent (74%) say the same about the Economy and Political Corruption.
Politics
Most Recent Releases
January 20, 2006
January 19, 2006
Pennsylvania Governor: Rendell-Swann a Toss-up
Our latest poll of the race for Pennsylvania governor shows Republican Lynn Swann, the former receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, narrowly leading Democratic Governor Ed Rendell 45% to 43%.
January 19, 2006
Pennsylvania Senate: Santorum Still Trailing by 15
Blunt-talking Republican Senator Rick Santorum continues to trail his likely Democratic opponent, Bob Casey, Jr. in the closely watched race over his Senate seat. The latest Rasmussen Reports election poll shows Casey leading by 15 percentage points, 53% to 38%.
January 18, 2006
Arkansas Governor
Democrat Mike Beebe is maintaining a narrow lead, 46% to 40%, over Republican Asa Hutchinson in the race to succeed Governor Mike Huckabee.
January 18, 2006
Virginia Senate: Allen With Big Lead
Virginia Senator George Allen (R) leads Northern Virginia businessman Harris Miller (D) by 30 percentage points in his bid for re-election.
January 13, 2006
Maryland Governor: Ehrlich Moves Past O'Malley, Duncan
The seesaw in Maryland's Senate race is echoed in the race for Governor. As in the Senate campaign, support for Democratic candidates bulged in November during a politically rough time for Republicans nationally, but has now slackened.
January 13, 2006
Maryland Senate: Steele Now Leading Dems
Maryland is proving to be another state to watch in an election year many have predicted will see nationwide gains for Democrats.
January 13, 2006
Support for Alito Increases
Sixty-eight percent (68%) say Alito is likely to be confirmed and serve on the Supreme Court, including 43% who say he is very likely to be confirmed. Thirty-nine percent (39%) of Americans now say Alito should be confirmed.
January 12, 2006
Iowa Governor: Still Toss-Up
The race to succeed Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack remains one to watch. Congressman Jim Nussle, the likely Republican nominee, captures at best 42% of the vote against any one of four possible Democratic opponents.
January 11, 2006
Montana Senate: Burns Slumping in Wake of Abramoff Plea
Republican Senator Conrad Burns has lost a double-digit lead against the two Democrats most prominently vying for the right to square off against him in November.
January 11, 2006
Rhode Island Senate: Chafee (R) in Competitive Race
Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chafee (R) does not break through the 50% level of voter support when matched against two potential challengers in a Rasmussen Reports Election Poll.
January 11, 2006
Hillary Meter: 39% Liberal
The first Hillary Meter of 2006 shows a more positive perception of New York's Junior Senator than any survey conducted in 2005.
For the first time ever, fewer than 40% of Americans view Clinton as politically liberal. Thirty-nine percent (39%) now see her as liberal while 38% say moderate. Last January, 51% of Americans viewed the former First Lady as liberal. (see trends).
January 10, 2006
Vermont Governor: Douglas Leads by 23
Vermont Governor Jim Douglas has a 23-percentage point lead in his bid for re-election. The latest Rasmussen Reports election poll shows Douglas earning 54% of the vote while former state Senator Scudder Parker attracts 31%.
January 8, 2006
Texas Senate: Hutchison By 39 Points
For a while, Kay Bailey Hutchison flirted with the idea of challenging Texas Governor Rick Perry in a Republican Primary battle that had the potential to be nasty intra-party fight.
January 8, 2006
Texas Governor: Perry (R) at 40%
A couple of weeks ago, it seemed like Texas Governor Rick Perry might have weathered the intra-party storm. Perry led State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn by large margins in Republican Primary polling and there were no Democrats likely to beat him one-on-one in the red state of Texas.
January 8, 2006
Vermont: Sanders Way Ahead
Congressman Bernie Sanders, Vermont's only member in the U.S. House of Representatives, is off to a good-start in his bid to represent Vermont in the U.S. Senate.
January 8, 2006
Georgia Governor: Perdue Leads by Double Digits
Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue (R) starts off the New Year with a 65% Job Approval Rating and a double digit lead over two challengers in his re-election bid.
January 7, 2006
Ohio Governor: Strickland Leads
Democratic Congressman Ted Strickland enjoys a four-to-sixteen point lead over possible Republican opponents in the Ohio governor's race, according to our first survey to include all three Republican candidates to emerge to date. (Deadline to file in the primaries is February 16.)
January 7, 2006
Ohio Senate: Tight Race
Ohio Senator Mike DeWine has eked out a narrow lead over both potential Democratic opponents in his re-election effort, but the race remains hotly competitive.
January 6, 2006
Florida Governor's Race a Toss-Up
As the Jeb Bush era winds down in Florida, the race to replace him as Governor is a toss-up. Match-ups involving two Republicans and two Democrats contending for the job show that nobody has a clear advantage at the beginning of 2006.
