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                            October 16, 2014Massachusetts Governor: Baker (R) 48%, Coakley (D) 46%
The gubernatorial race in Massachusetts remains close with less than three weeks to go until Election Day.
A new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Massachusetts Voters finds Republican Charlie Baker picking up 48% of the vote to Democratic Attorney General Martha Coakley’ 46%. Two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate, while five percent (5%) 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 survey of 980 Likely Voters in Massachusetts was conducted on October 13-14, 2014 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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                            October 16, 2014Massachusetts Governor: Baker (R) 48%, Coakley (D) 46%
The gubernatorial race in Massachusetts remains close with less than three weeks to go until Election Day.
A new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Massachusetts Voters finds Republican Charlie Baker picking up 48% of the vote to Democratic Attorney General Martha Coakley’ 46%. Two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate, while five percent (5%) 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 survey of 980 Likely Voters in Massachusetts was conducted on October 13-14, 2014 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.
October 16, 2014Why Millennials Don't Drive So Much by Froma Harrop
Young Americans are just not into driving the way their elders are or did at their age. They are less likely to own cars or use cars. The drives they do are shorter. Meanwhile, the bus is looking good to them.
A new report confirms this trend and offers reasons that millennials -- we're talking 14- to 31-year-olds -- seem less drawn to the automobile thing. They're sure not singing car songs as the baby boomers did. No "Little Deuce Coupe," no "G.T.O.," no "Hot Rod Lincoln."
Follow Froma Harrop on Twitter @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com. To find out more about Froma Harrop and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM
October 16, 20142014: A Tale of Two Elections By Larry J. Sabato and Kyle Kondik
As we approach the home stretch, 2014 has turned into a tale of two elections. On the one hand, this is a classic sixth-year itch election where the incumbent president’s party is going to suffer losses in both houses of Congress. We’re just arguing about exactly how many. Overall, it is indisputable that Republicans will have more critical victories to celebrate than Democrats when all the ballots are counted, and they have a strong and increasing chance to control the next Senate.

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                            October 16, 201434% Think America’s Best Days are in the Future
More voters now think America’s best days lie ahead after hitting an all-time low over the summer, but most still say the nation's best days are in the past.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 34% of Likely U.S. Voters now think America’s best days are still to come, the highest since the beginning of the year. This comes after optimism about America’s future hit an all-time low of 29% in July. Still, 51% think America’s best days are already in the past, down just slightly from July’s high of 52% and one of the few times this figure has passed the 50% mark. Fourteen percent (14%) 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 telephone survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on October 9-10, 2014. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            October 15, 201427% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Twenty-seven percent (27%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending October 12. The number who say the country is heading in the right direction is down two points from the previous week. This finding has been below 30% most weeks for the past 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 on October 6-12, 2014. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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                            October 15, 2014Alaska Governor: Walker (I) 50%, Parnell (R) 41%
Independent Bill Walker has widened his lead over Republican Governor Sean Parnell in Alaska’s gubernatorial race.
Walker now picks up 50% of the vote to Parnell’s 41% in the latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Alaska Voters. Two percent (2%) like some other candidate in the race, and seven percent (7%) are still 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 survey of 700 Likely Voters in Alaska was conducted on October 8-12, 2014 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.

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                            October 15, 2014Louisiana Senate: Landrieu (D) 41%, Cassidy (R) 38%, Maness (R) 14%
Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu has edged slightly ahead of Republican Congressman Bill Cassidy in Louisiana’s nail biter of a Senate race, but Cassidy holds a wide advantage if the race goes to a runoff.
Landrieu now picks up 41% of the vote to Cassidy’s 38% in the latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Louisiana Voters. Another Republican, Tea Party favorite Rob Maness, earns 14% support, while two percent (2%) prefer one of the other candidates in the race.  Five percent (5%) 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 survey of 965 Likely Voters in Louisiana was conducted on October 13-14, 2014 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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                            October 15, 2014Tea Party Is Still Most Toxic Political Label
Many pundits have suggested that America is now a 50-50 nation politically, and a look at how voters react to political labels suggests that may be true. Being linked to the Tea Party is still the worst thing you can say about a candidate, but Republicans don’t agree.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that roughly the same number of Likely U.S. Voters consider it a positive description if a candidate is called a conservative (31%), a moderate (33%) or a progressive (30%).
Twenty-five percent (25%) think it’s a negative description to be called a conservative, while 39% rate it somewhere in between. Slightly more (28%) believe it’s a negative to be called a progressive, the label liberals have adopted to get out from under the “L” word, but 34% say it’s somewhere in between. As for moderate, only 15% view it as a negative description, while 48% see it as somewhere in between positive and negative. (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 October 13-14, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology.
October 15, 2014Crumbling Constitution by John Stossel
Does the Constitution still matter?

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                            October 15, 201448% Won’t Pay More For Fast Food To Raise Minimum Wage
Americans enjoy having it their way. Fast-food restaurants have been in the news lately because of protests to raise the minimum wage, but Americans who regularly eat at these restaurants aren't willing to pay more for their food to raise the pay of their workers.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 27% of American Adults rarely or never eat at fast-food restaurants. But 50% eat at such restaurants at least two to three times a month. This includes 27% who eat fast food at least once a week, up from 13% in August of last year. Twenty-four percent (24%) say they eat at a fast-food restaurant every now and then. (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 American Adults was conducted on October 12-13, 2014 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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                            October 14, 201443% Think Raising Minimum Wage Will Help Economy
President Obama is trying to raise the federal minimum wage from the current $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour, and most Americans are on board.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that most American Adults (61%) favor raising the minimum wage from its current level of $7.25 an hour, which many states and the District of Columbia have already done. One-in-three (30%) oppose raising the minimum wage. (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 American Adults was conducted on October 12-13, 2014 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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                            October 14, 2014TV's Still Tops for Voters When It Comes to Political News
Voters still turn to TV over the Internet when it comes to political news, but the gap is narrowing. However, regardless of the source, voters are skeptical about the political news they are getting.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters are most likely to get their political news from television, while 30% are more likely to use the Internet. Just nine percent (9%) say they usually get their political fix from newspapers or magazines, while seven percent (7%) turn to talk radio. Five percent (5%) get their political news predominately from social media. (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 October 9-10, 2014 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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                            October 14, 2014Alaska Senate: Sullivan (R) 48%, Begich (D) 45%
Republican challenger Dan Sullivan still has the edge on Democratic incumbent Mark Begich in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Alaska Voters shows Sullivan earning 48% of the vote to Begich’s 45%. Three percent (3%) like some other candidate in the race, and another three percent (3%) 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 survey of 700 Likely Voters in Alaska was conducted on October 8-12, 2014 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.
October 14, 2014Will Independent Candidates' Support Dissipate in Kansas and South Dakota? By Michael Barone
One question I'm asked in every electoral cycle is, "What are the surprise races in this election?" My answer in recent years has been, "There are no surprises, because any unexpected development becomes universally known in seconds."   

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                            October 14, 2014Voters Say State Electoral Debates Are Important, But Don’t Change Their Mind
As the midterm election season enters the final stretch, most voters consider debates important to their vote and good indicators of where the candidates stand. But for the majority, a debate has never changed the way they ultimately decided to vote.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of Likely U.S. Voters think that, in terms of how they will vote, debates between candidates for statewide office are at least somewhat important, including 35% who consider them Very Important. Just 23% say such debates are not important to their vote, including six percent (6%) who say they’re Not At All Important. (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 October 11-12, 2014 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.
October 14, 2014Castrating Conservative Principles in Iowa By Froma Harrop
There exists a government boondoggle that offends conservatives, liberals, environmentalists, oil refiners, cattle ranchers and taxpayers alike. It's not easy to get that kind of Kumbaya going, but the corn-based ethanol program has done it.
This has put Joni Ernst, the tea party favorite for Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat, in an awkward position. The Republican has vowed to both end government subsidies and preserve the freight loads of taxpayer dollars chugging into Iowa's corn belt in the name of ethanol.
Her footwork goes as follows: She says she'll end this subsidy when every other subsidy in the American universe also gets the ax. And, she forgot to add, when Martians colonize Neptune.

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                            October 14, 2014Americans Endorse Euthanasia – and A Life Beyond
The decision of a 29-year-old California woman with terminal cancer to end her life has cast the spotlight again on states that allow voluntary assisted suicide. Americans by a near two-to-one margin support the practice known as voluntary euthanasia, but most also believe there is life after death.
Three U.S. states now allow voluntary euthanasia or medically assisted suicide for those who are terminally ill, and 50% of American Adults favor this practice. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 27% are opposed, but nearly as many (23%) 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 survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on October 10-11, 2014 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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                            October 13, 2014Should We Still Celebrate Columbus Day?
“In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” Most Americans know this, but they’re not as sure we should still be celebrating his journey as a national holiday.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just eight percent (8%) of American Adults consider Columbus Day, which falls today, one of our nation’s most important holidays. Forty-five percent (45%) consider it one of the least important holidays, while 43% think it’s somewhere in between. That’s in line with surveys since 2007. (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 Adults was conducted on October 10-11, 2014 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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                            October 13, 2014Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats 40%, Republicans 40%
Democrats and Republicans are tied on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot with three weeks to go until Election Day.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending October 12 finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while the same number (40%) would choose the Republican.
(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 from October 6-12, 2014. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.