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                            December 5, 201129% View New Defense Secretary Panetta Favorably
The United States continues to fight in Afghanistan, the nation’s longest-running war, but a sizable number of Americans don’t know enough about President Obama’s new secretary of Defense to have any kind of opinion about him.
Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Likely U.S. Voters hold at least a somewhat favorable opinion of Leon Panetta, most recently the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, while 32% view him at least somewhat unfavorably, according to a new Rasmussen Reports survey.
December 3, 2011What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending December 2, 2011
Flavor of the month or the next presidential nominee of the Republican Party?
As Herman Cain’s campaign disintegrates, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has surged to the largest national lead held by any candidate so far in the race for the GOP’s 2012 nomination. Gingrich earns 38% of the vote from Likely Republican Primary Voters. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is a distant second at 17%. No other candidate reaches double digits. 
Gingrich also now edges President Obama by two points in a hypothetical Election 2012 matchup – 45% to 43% - after trailing by 12 points two weeks ago. 
Earlier in the year, both Texas Governor Rick Perry and Cain followed a similar path to take a slight lead over the president. However, their time as front-runners quickly came to an end. Neither man led the president more than a single time in a Rasmussen Reports poll. It remains to be seen whether Gingrich follows that path or is able to retain his status as the leading alternative to Romney. Scott Rasmussen discussed Gingrich’s surge with Fox News earlier this week.

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                            December 3, 201151% Think Cain Should End Campaign, 28% Disagree
Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain is expected to make a major announcement in Atlanta today, and most voters think he should end his campaign.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 51% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Cain should end his bid for the GOP nomination. Twenty-eight percent (28%) disagree, and 21% are not sure. (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 500 Likely Voters was conducted on December 2, 2011 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.

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                            December 2, 201177% Say It’s Important Which Party Runs Congress
Voters overwhelmingly believe it’s important to their lives which political party controls Congress, but Republicans feel more strongly than Democrats about it.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 77% of all Likely U.S. Voters think it is at least somewhat important in terms of its impact on their own lives whether Republicans or Democrats control Congress. That includes 49% who say it is Very Important. Just 13% believe it’s not very or not at all important which party has majority control on Capitol Hill, with another 10% who 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 national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 30-December 1, 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.
December 2, 2011Obama Full-Month Approval Index Up in November
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.
Overall, the president's numbers improved a bit in November, but are still lower than at any point prior to a few months ago.
December 1, 201159% Want US Troops Home from Afghanistan
As trouble with neighboring Pakistan shines a new spotlight on a troubled region, most voters are ready to bring U.S. troops home from Afghanistan.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely Voters nationwide want the troops to come home either immediately or within a year. Twenty-nine percent (29%) oppose any firm timetable and 12% are not sure. (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 November 28-29, 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.

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                            November 30, 201165% Want to End Aid to Pakistan
Hardly any Americans view Pakistan as an ally of the United States and there is strong support for ending all foreign aid to that country.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 65% of Likely Voters want to all military and financial aid to Pakistan. Only 11% want it to continue while 24% are not sure.
Just 3% view Pakistan as an ally and 25% see it as an enemy. Most (62%) see it somewhere in between.
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 28-29, 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.
November 29, 2011Election 2012:  Generic Republican 48%, Obama 42%
A generic Republican candidate now holds a six-point advantage over President Obama in a hypothetical Election 2012 matchup.  This survey was conducted Nov. 21, 22 and 27.

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                            November 29, 2011Gingrich Tells Protesters to Take A Bath, Get A Job: 43% Agree
Rising Republican presidential contender Newt Gingrich made news recently when he suggested that the Occupy Wall Street protesters should stop protesting and get jobs after taking a bath.  Voters are evenly divided over whether that’s a good idea.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters agree with the former House speaker and think the protesters should take baths and get jobs. But an identical number (43%) disagree, and 14% more are undecided.
(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 Voters was conducted on November 27, 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.

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                            November 28, 201137% View Occupy Wall Street Protesters Very Unfavorably, 30% Feel That Way About Tea Party
Voters have only a slightly more favorable view of Tea Party activists compared to Occupy Wall Street protesters. But they’re also a bit more likely to link the Tea Party to Republicans than they are to see Democrats as supporters of those protesting on Wall Street and in other financial centers. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Votes hold at least a somewhat favorable view of the Occupy Wall Street protesters while 55% have an unfavorable view. For the Tea Party activists, the numbers are more evenly divided: 44% favorable and 48% unfavorable.
(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 Voters was conducted on November 27, 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.
November 28, 2011Most Voters Still Favor Health Care Repeal and Think It’s Likely
In the first Rasmussen Reports tracking poll since the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the constitutionality of the new national health care law, most voters to continue to favor the law’s repeal and think repeal is likely.
Fifty-three percent (53%) of Likely U.S. Voters at least somewhat favor repeal of the law, with 40% who Strongly Favor it. A new national telephone survey shows that 40% at least somewhat oppose repeal, including 28% who are Strongly Opposed.
(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 November 27, 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.

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                            November 26, 2011What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending November 26, 2011
Americans are taking a break this week from the cares and woes that have beset them all year. Their economic concerns and political views remain largely unchanged, so perhaps they feel they need to share the upcoming season of joy more than ever.
Eighty-three percent (83%) of American Adults, in fact, say they have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Just 12% disagree. Perhaps as a reflection of the continuing bad economy, however, more Americans were planning to have their Thanksgiving dinner at home this year, but nearly half - as usual - figured they’d eat too much at the holiday meal. 
November 25, 2011President Obama Gets Low Marks From Homeowners, Gun Owners
Among households where someone owns a gun, just 17% Strongly Approve of the way President Obama is performing his job. Fifty percent (50%) Strongly Disapprove for a Presidential Approval Index rating of -33.
The president does much better in households without a gun owner. In those homes, 26% Strongly Approve and 30% Strongly Disapprove for a Presidential Approval Index rating of -4.
(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 7,000 Likely Voters was conducted November 7-20, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 1 percentage point with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            November 23, 201160% Favor Building Keystone XL Pipeline
Most voters support the building of the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to Texas and believe it can be built without harming the environment.
Sixty percent (60%) of Likely U.S. Voters at least somewhat favor building the pipeline which President Obama has delayed until at least 2013 because of environmental concerns. Just 24% are opposed. Sixteen percent (16%) are not sure.
(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 Voters was conducted on November 21-22, 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.

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                            November 22, 201132% Not At All Confident That They’ll Get All Their Social Security Benefits
Most voters continue to feel they are unlikely to receive their full Social Security benefits when they retire but still give the federal retirement program generally favorable marks.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that only 41% of Likely U.S. Voters are at least somewhat confident that the Social Security system will pay them all their promised retirement benefits during their lifetime.
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters 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. 

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                            November 21, 201151% in Florida Disapprove of Governor Scott's Performance
Most Florida voters are unhappy with the job Rick Scott is doing as his first year as governor of Florida winds down.
The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey finds that 42% of Likely Florida Voters at least somewhat approve of Scott's job performance as governor, but 51% at least somewhat disapprove.

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                            November 21, 201135% See ‘Arab Spring’ Changes As Good for the United States
Most U.S. voters don’t view the political changes in countries like Egypt during this year’s so-called Arab Spring as good for the United States, and even fewer expect any of those countries to become U.S. allies.
Just 35% of Likely U.S. Voters say the new governments being established in nations such as Egypt, Libya and Tunisia are good for America.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 24% think those changes are bad for this country, while 12% believe they will have no impact.
(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 nationwide was conducted on November 17-18, 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.
November 20, 2011Florida 2012:  Romney 46%, Obama 42%
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney posts a slight lead over President Obama in the first Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of the presidential race in the key swing state of Florida.
Romney earns support from 46% of Likely Voters in the Sunshine State to Obama's 42%. Nine percent (9%) prefer some other candidate, while four percent (4%) are undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is nearly tied with the president, with Obama posting a narrow 45% to 43% lead in this matchup. Eight percent (8%) like another candidate, and four percent (4%) are undecided.
This Florida survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on November 17, 2011 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.
November 19, 2011What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending November 19, 2011
For President Obama and congressional Democrats, it was a breakthrough week of sorts. For Republicans, yet another presidential hopeful appears headed for the top. For all of us, it was another week of economic business as usual.
The Rasmussen Consumer and Investor Indexes, which measure daily confidence among both groups, showed slight improvement this week over recent months, but roughly 60% of both groups say the country is still in a recession.

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                            November 18, 2011North Carolina: Generic Republican 44%, Obama 42%
Barack Obama managed to win North Carolina’s Electoral College votes by less than a percentage point in 2008. That was the first time a Democratic presidential candidate had won the state since 1976, and the Tar Heel State looks to be competitive once again.
New Rasmussen Reports polling data shows that a Generic Republican currently attracts support from 44% of Likely Voters in North Carolina, while President Obama picks up 42% of the vote.