What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending February 21, 2026
In surveys last week, this is what America told Rasmussen Reports...
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February 21, 2026
February 20, 2026
Government Doesn’t Own Your Kids, Voters Say
An overwhelming majority of American voters support parents’ rights and reject government coercion in education.
February 20, 2026
Marco Rubio: More Than Just the Good Cop By Michael Barone
My first reaction to Secretary of State Marco Rubio's speech, delivered on Valentine's Day, at the Munich Security Conference, was, "Last year, President Donald Trump sent the bad cop, Vice President JD Vance. This year, he sent the good cop, Rubio. Progress." In February 2025, the audience at Munich took Vance's comments as insults. In February 2026, the audience, as evidenced by its standing ovation, took Rubio's as compliments.
February 19, 2026
36% Now Expect Stock Market to Rise
Optimism about the stock market has rebounded after last fall’s slump, and worries about an economic depression have also declined.
February 19, 2026
Epstein Files: 54% Still Suspect a Cover-Up
Even after the release of millions of documents related to the late Jeffrey Epstein, a majority of voters still suspect the Trump administration of trying to conceal evidence of the president’s association with the disgraced finance mogul.
February 19, 2026
A Flood of Open House Seats—But Not Competitive Open Seats By Kyle Kondik
KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE
— More than 50 members of the U.S. House of Representatives are not seeking another term in the House this year.
— The number of incumbents running again is going to be one of the lowest totals in any House election cycle since World War II.
— However, the vast majority of these retirements don’t mean anything for the November election because they are coming in safe seats.
— The open seats, collectively, feature a smaller share of truly competitive seats than the House as a whole does.
February 18, 2026
Waiting for Accountability: Why Kash Patel’s Numbers May Be Slipping By Brian C. Joondeph, M.D.
A recent Rasmussen Reports survey indicates that FBI Director Kash Patel’s popularity is declining. Only 40% of likely U.S. voters view Patel favorably. Even more revealing, just 32% believe he is performing better than most previous FBI directors, while 37% think he is doing worse.
February 18, 2026
GOP Maintains Lead on Crime Issue
Most voters are still concerned about violent crime, and trust Republicans more than Democrats by a five-point margin on the issue.
February 18, 2026
Was Climate Change the Greatest Financial Scandal in History? By Stephen Moore
Environmental scholar Bjorn Lomborg recently calculated that across the globe, governments have spent at least $16 trillion feeding the climate change industrial complex.
February 17, 2026
Georgia GOP Primary: Rick Jackson Zooms Ahead
A late entry among Republican candidates for governor in Georgia has already reached first place in the crowded primary field.
February 17, 2026
Is Black History Month Helping Race Relations?
February is Black History Month, and while most Americans support teaching black history in schools, they are less certain that the month-long annual celebration is helpful.
February 17, 2026
Why Are Anti-ICE Activists Building Borders? By Daniel McCarthy
Anti-ICE activists in Minneapolis are setting up blockades.
February 17, 2026
FBI Director’s Popularity Sags
Fewer voters now have a favorable opinion of Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel, although most Republicans still see him favorably.
February 16, 2026
42% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Forty-two percent (42%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey for the week ending February 12, 2026.
February 16, 2026
40% Want Separate Holiday for Lincoln
The third Monday in February is observed as a federal holiday to honor our nation’s first president, George Washington, born February 22, 1732. It is commonly known as Presidents’ Day, to include Abraham Lincoln (born February 12, 1809) in the honor, but Americans are divided over whether there should be a separate holiday for Lincoln’s birthday.
February 14, 2026
What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending February 14, 2026
In surveys last week, this is what America told Rasmussen Reports...
February 13, 2026
Rasmussen Real Unemployment Rate: Down Slightly
National unemployment was 7.4% in this month’s Rasmussen Reports Real Unemployment update, down slightly from last month from 8.3% last month and significantly more than the 4.6% rate officially reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on January 11, 2026.
February 13, 2026
Consumer Spending Update: Economic Confidence Dips in February
Economic confidence decreased to 107.5 in this month’s Rasmussen Reports Economic Index, nearly two points lower than January. The index hit a four-year high of 115.9 in July.
February 13, 2026
Immigration Is Shaking Up Political Parties in Britain, Europe and the US By Michael Barone
As British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces calls to resign for his appointment of Epstein-tied Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States, one is struck by the sudden instability of British governments. In the 28 years between 1979 and 2007, Britain had only three prime ministers, while in the 19 years since 2007, it has had seven, and may soon have eight. Only one of those, David Cameron, carried his party to a reelection victory, and he resigned a year after being beaten in the Brexit referendum.
