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                            October 13, 2014Iowa Senate: Ernst (R) 48%, Braley (D) 45%
Iowa’s closely watched U.S. Senate race remains a toss-up, but Republican Joni Ernst has edged slightly ahead of Democrat Bruce Braley with three weeks left until Election Day.
The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Iowa Voters finds Ernst picking up 48% of the vote to Braley’s 45%. One percent (1%) like another candidate, and 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 957 Likely Voters in Iowa was conducted on October 8-10, 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 13, 2014Voters Report Hurtful Insurance Changes Under Health Care Law
The number of voters who say their health insurance coverage has changed because of the new health care law continues to increase, and the vast majority of those voters say the change has been for the worse.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 38% of Likely U.S. Voters now say their health insurance coverage has changed because of Obamacare. That number has been steadily climbing from 25% a year ago when the law made its public debut. (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.

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                            October 11, 2014What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls: Week of October 12
Fewer than 30% have been saying all year that the country is headed in the right direction, and voters have some pretty definite ideas on what needs to be done. But rather than discuss the issues, too often political candidates go negative.

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                            October 10, 2014Most Say Negative Campaign Ads Have Negative Effect on Voting
Political candidates produce negative advertisements about their opponents to try to gain more votes, but it turns out that effort has the opposite effect. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 63% of regular television viewers think most political advertising on TV attacks the opposing candidate. Just 14% say most political advertising simply promotes the candidate who is paying for it. Twenty-three percent (23%) 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 American Adults was conducted on October 8-9, 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 10, 2014Maine Governor: LePage (R) 41%, Michaud (D) 40%, Cutler (I) 16%
Republican Governor Paul LePage has pulled ahead of Democratic Congressman Mike Michaud by one point in Maine's gubernatorial race. 
LePage picks up 41% of the vote to Michaud's 40% in a new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Maine Voters. Independent Eliot Cutler is in a distant third with 16% of the vote. One percent (1%) prefer another candidate in the race, while 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 930 Likely Voters in Maine was conducted on October 7-9, 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 10, 2014Americans Say Candidates Don’t Need Negativity to Win
Americans believe candidates don’t need to resort to criticizing their opponents and producing negative campaign ads to win an election.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 56% of American Adults believe it is possible for a candidate to win an election without criticizing their opponent.  This finding is up from 49% in 2012 but still down from 64% in 2010. Twenty-five percent (25%) disagree, down from 39% in 2012. Eighteen percent (18%) 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 American Adults was conducted on October 8-9, 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 10, 2014Ebola and the 41 Million Uninsured Americans By Froma Harrop
With the first diagnosed case of the deadly Ebola virus in the United States located in Dallas, Texans are understandably alarmed. The patient just died. Gov. Rick Perry has established a task force to address the Ebola threat.
Not a bad idea but still a feeble response coming from a governor who refused to expand Medicaid in his state, leaving millions of his people outside the health care system. About 6 million Texans are now walking around without health insurance. That's almost 1 in 4 residents -- the highest rate of uninsured in the country.
October 10, 2014Democrats on Defensive Over Role of Government by Michael Barone
Things are spinning out of control. Out of control, at least, by government, and by the United States government in particular. You don't have to spend much time reading the news -- or monitoring your Twitter feed -- to get that impression. Armed fighting in Ukraine. Islamic State beheadings in Iraq and Syria. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators in Hong Kong.

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                            October 10, 2014Voters Want Era of Big Government To End
Voters continue to hold a negative view of the federal government and most say they want the era of big government to end.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 32% of Likely U.S. Voters have a favorable opinion of the federal government, unchanged from August. This finding includes only four percent (4%) who have a Very Favorable opinion. Sixty-four percent (64%) view the federal government unfavorably, also unchanged from previous survey. This finding includes 27% who have a Very Unfavorable view.  Four percent (4%) 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 October 7-8, 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.

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                            October 9, 2014Americans Say Life is Good
While Ebola, enterovirus and ISIS dominate the headlines, most Americans rate their lives positively.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of American Adults now consider their own life good or excellent. This is unchanged from 2012  but up from 61% in October 2010.  Just eight percent (8%) say their life is poor. This is also unchanged from 2012 but down slightly from 11% two years earlier.  (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 6-7, 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 9, 2014Voters Question Whether Either Major Party Has A Plan for the Future
Fewer voters than ever think either major political party has a plan for the nation’s future, with most still convinced that neither represents the American people.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters think it is fair to say that neither party in Congress is the party of the American people. Twenty-eight percent (28%) disagree, but 20% 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 orFacebook.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 7-8, 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 9, 2014What Ebola Can Teach Us By Joe Conason
Even if Africa's Ebola emergency never mutates into a global catastrophe, those of us who live in the world's most fortunate country ought to consider what this fearsome virus can teach us. The lessons are quite obvious at this point -- and contain implications that are political in the most urgent sense.   

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                            October 9, 2014Americans Say Obama No Longer Deserves His Nobel Prize
As the winners of this year's Nobel Prizes continue to be announced this week, Americans remain skeptical about the politics behind the process and question President Obama’s Peace Prize win in 2009.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of American Adults think politics play a role in the awarding of Nobel Prizes. Just 17% disagree, but 30% 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 Adults was conducted on October 6-7, 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 9, 2014The State of the Governors By Larry J. Sabato
Governors frequently report on the state of their states, but what’s the state of the governors? To judge by many of the ongoing gubernatorial campaigns, it’s not great. Out of 36 contests, one governor (Neil Abercrombie, Democrat of Hawaii) has already lost his primary, another is headed for almost-certain defeat next month (Tom Corbett, Republican of Pennsylvania), and 10 others are in toss-up or close “lean” races.

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                            October 8, 201429% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Twenty-nine percent (29%) 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 5.
The number who say the country is heading in the right direction is up four points from the previous week and is the highest finding since early June. This number has been below 30% most weeks during 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 September 30-October 5, 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 8, 2014Few Think High School Grads Have Skills for College, Workforce
Voters don’t hold much hope for the Class of 2015 – most say high school graduates today don’t have the skills for either college or the workforce.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 22% of Likely U.S. Voters think most high school graduates today have the skills needed for college. This is up slightly from May and in line with findings from earlier this year. Fifty-nine percent (59%) disagree, down eight points from May, which was the highest level of concern about high schoolers’ college readiness to date. Twenty percent (20%) 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 Likely Voters was conducted on October 5-6, 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 8, 2014Voters Think China’s Economic Power Lets It Get Away With Abuses
Despite ongoing pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, American voters don’t think the U.S. government should be doing more to support the movement. But most also agree that America overlooks many abuses by the Chinese government because of that country’s economic power.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 22% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the Obama administration should be doing more to support pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong. Forty-one percent (41%) disagree, but just as many (38%) 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 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 5-6, 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.

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                            October 8, 2014North Carolina Senate: Hagan (D) 48%, Tillis (R) 46%
The critical North Carolina Senate race has tightened up with less than a month to go until Election Day.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely North Carolina Voters finds incumbent Democrat Kay Hagan earning 48% support to Republican challenger Thom Tillis’ 46%. Two percent (2%) prefer another candidate in the race, and four percent (4%) remain 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 970 Likely Voters in North Carolina was conducted on October 6-7, 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 8, 201470% Oppose Police Seizure of Property Without A Criminal Conviction
Americans strongly believe someone needs to be convicted of a crime before their property can be seized, even though that’s contrary to current federal law and police practice.
After all, 84% of American Adults agree with the basic principle of criminal justice in this country that even someone charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 11% think someone is guilty until proven innocent. (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 Adults was conducted on October 2-3, 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 8, 2014Poverty By John Stossel
Fifty years ago, President Lyndon Johnson declared "War on Poverty." It sounded great to me. I was taught at Princeton, "We're a rich country. All we have to do is tax the rich, and then use that money to create programs that will lift the poor out of poverty." Government created job-training programs for the strong and expanded social security for the weak.
It seemed to work. The poverty rate dropped from 17 percent to 12 percent in the programs' first decade. Unfortunately, few people noticed that during the half-decade before the "War," the rate dropped from 22 percent to 17 percent. Without big government, Americans were already lifting themselves out of poverty!