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                            August 17, 2014Iowa Governor: Branstad (R) 52%, Hatch (D) 35%
Incumbent Republican Terry Branstad has widened his lead over Democratic challenger Jack Hatch in Iowa’s gubernatorial race.
Branstad picks up 52% of the vote to Hatch’s 35% in a new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Iowa Voters. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate, while seven percent (7%) 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 750 Likely Voters in Iowa was conducted on August 11-12, 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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                            August 17, 2014Iowa Governor: Branstad (R) 52%, Hatch (D) 35%
Incumbent Republican Terry Branstad has widened his lead over Democratic challenger Jack Hatch in Iowa’s gubernatorial race.
Branstad picks up 52% of the vote to Hatch’s 35% in a new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Iowa Voters. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate, while seven percent (7%) 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 750 Likely Voters in Iowa was conducted on August 11-12, 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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                            August 16, 2014What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls: Week of August 16
Get out of my face: That’s the message most voters still have for the federal government six years into the presidency of the man who hoped to make us all believers in big government.
Sixty percent (60%) of Americans believe instead that the federal government plays too big a role in the lives of average Americans.  
Of course, it doesn't help that voters by a two-to-one margin consider the federal government today a threat to individual liberty rather than a protector. Only 19% trust the feds to do the right thing most or nearly all the time.

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                            August 15, 2014Tennessee Governor: Haslam (R) 55%, Brown (D) 30%
Incumbent Republican Bill Haslam is well ahead of his Democratic challenger Charles Brown in Tennessee's gubernatorial contest. (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 750 Likely Voters in Tennessee was conducted on August 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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                            August 15, 2014Wisconsin Governor: Walker (R) 48%, Burke (D) 47%
It may be the nation’s closest-watched governor’s race, and it remains dead even.
(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 750 Likely Voters in Wisconsin was conducted on August 13-14, 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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                            August 15, 2014Americans Say Their Favorite Robin Williams Movie Is…
No wonder Hollywood was planning a sequel to “Mrs. Doubtfire.” An overwhelming number of Americans say they have seen a film starring the late Robin Williams, and that film is their favorite.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 86% of American Adults share a favorable opinion of the actor and comedian who committed suicide earlier this week. This includes 52% with a Very Favorable view. Just eight percent (8%) have a somewhat or Very Unfavorable opinion of Williams. (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 nationwide was conducted August 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.
August 15, 2014Fidelity to Principle Can Make Needed Flexibility Impossible By Michael Barone
Politicians have ranges of positions of varying widths that they find acceptable. Hillary Clinton, like her husband, has a very wide range of stands she finds acceptable, depending on timing and circumstances. President Obama's range of acceptable positions has been far narrower
This is reflected in their attitudes about military action in Iraq. Clinton was for it in 2002 and was against it by 2007. Obama was always against what he called a "dumb war."
August 15, 2014Ranting About Robin Williams, Limbaugh Exposes a Hole in His Own Soul By Joe Conason
Having infuriated millions of Robin Williams fans with insensitive remarks on the late actor's suicide, Rush Limbaugh now blames the "liberal media" and "despicable leftists" for distorting his innocent message.
This is an old dodge for Limbaugh. Yet however he parses his language, there can be no doubt that he sought to exploit a tragic event for what he likes to call "political education." His attempt to brand Williams' suicide with "the leftist worldview" was perfectly plain. And as usual, his alibi is plainly false.

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                            August 15, 2014Who Still Needs A Newspaper Subscription?
America used to be a nation of newspaper readers, but a sizable number of newspaper subscribers say they have dropped their subscriptions in the past five years.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 56% of American Adults still prefer reading the printed version of the news to reading it online, but that's down from 69% five years ago.  One-in-three Americans (33%) prefer reading the online version of the news, up from 24% in May 2009. Eleven percent (11%) 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 Adults nationwide was conducted August 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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                            August 14, 2014Americans Need a Vacation
Most Americans agree that employers should be required by law to provide all full-time employees with paid vacation days each year, but they also think American workers are taking less time off than workers elsewhere in the world.
(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 August 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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                            August 14, 2014Tennessee Senate: Alexander (R) 47%, Ball (D) 32%
Republican Senator Lamar Alexander holds a double-digit lead over Democratic challenger Gordon Ball in his bid for reelection in Tennessee.
Alexander picks up 47% of the vote to Ball’s 32% in a new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Tennessee Voters. Ten percent (10%) prefer some other candidate, and 12% 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 750 Likely Voters in Tennessee was conducted on August 11-12, 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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                            August 14, 2014Voters Think Obama, Congress Are Slackers
Note to President Obama and Congress: Don’t call voters for a job reference. Voters are evenly divided when asked if the president works harder than they do, but they are overwhelmingly convinced that Congress doesn’t.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters think President Obama works harder than they do, but just as many (42%) disagree. Fifteen percent (15%) 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 August 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.
August 14, 2014Neil deGrasse Tyson Is a Nice Man By Froma Harrop
When I first encountered Neil deGrasse Tyson, I thought, "What a nice man." He was on the TV screens at New York's Hayden Planetarium, where he's director, urging us to behold the wonder of -- to use the biblical term -- the heavens.   

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                            August 14, 2014Should More Americans Be Bilingual?
A sizable number of Americans know a second language and think it’s an important skill to have in today’s world, but they still don’t think it’s as important as encouraging immigrants in this country to speak English.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 76% of American Adults believe it’s at least somewhat important to know how to speak a second language in order to get ahead in the modern world, including 30% who think it is Very Important. Just 23% don’t consider a second language important, with five percent (5%) who say it’s 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 national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on August 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.
August 14, 20142014: More Than a Backlash From 2008 By Sean Trende
The 2014 Senate elections are not shaping up to be particularly favorable for the Democrats. While there are still scenarios where they could walk away breaking even, or even gaining a seat or two, those scenarios are pretty far-fetched. Current predictions vary somewhat, but seem to center around Republicans picking up somewhere between five and seven seats, with the overall range of possibilities a bit wider.

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                            August 13, 201424% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Twenty-four percent (24%) 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 August 17.
This finding is down three points from 27% the week before. Prior to that finding, the number who said the country is heading in the right direction had been steadily falling since mid-June. It has been less than 30% for most of this 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 August 11-17, 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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                            August 13, 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 August 10.
This finding is up four points from the week before which marked the lowest level of confidence since the middle of October. Prior to this week, the number who said the country is heading in the right direction had been steadily falling since mid-June. It has been less than 30% for most of this 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 August 4-10, 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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                            August 13, 2014Americans Overwhelmingly Put English First
Thirty-one states have made English their official language, and five more are hoping to join the club this year. The U.S. government has yet to take that step, even though Americans still strongly believe English should be the nation's officially recognized language. Most also agree overwhelmingly that it’s important to know the language to get ahead in today's world.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 83% of American Adults believe English should be the official language of the United States. Only 10% disagree.  (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 August 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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                            August 13, 2014Iowa Senate: Ernst (R) 43%, Braley (D) 43%
Will she or won’t she? The race to replace Iowa Democratic Senator Tom Harkin couldn’t be any closer.
The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Iowa Voters finds Republican Joni Ernst and Democrat Bruce Braley tied with 43% support each. Six percent (6%) like some other candidate and eight percent (8%) 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 750 Likely Voters in Iowa was conducted on August 11-12, 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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                            August 13, 2014Voters Think Americans More Supportive of Israel than Obama, Media Are
Most voters believe their fellow Americans stand behind Israel more than the Palestinians when it comes to the fighting in Gaza, but they aren’t as sure about the Obama administration or the media here and abroad.
Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Likely U.S. Voters say that, in the current conflict in Gaza, most Americans are supportive of the Israelis. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only eight percent (8%) believe Americans are more supportive of the Palestinians, while 11% think they are equally supportive of both. Eight percent (8%) think most Americans support neither side. Sixteen percent (16%) 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 August 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.