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                            July 12, 2012North Dakota Senate: Berg (R) 49%, Heitkamp (D) 40%
Republican Congressman Rick Berg is leading former state Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp by nine points in Rasmussen Reports’ first look at the U.S. Senate race in North Dakota.
A new telephone survey of Likely North Dakota Voters shows Berg with 49% support to Heitkamp’s 40%. Two percent (2%) prefer 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 400 Likely Voters in North Dakota was conducted on July 10-11, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 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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                            July 12, 201243% Confident In Stability of U.S. Banking Industry
Confidence in the stability of the U.S. banking system has fallen to its lowest level in over a year of monthly tracking.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry today.  That’s down from 46% last month and from a recent high of 50% in May. By comparison, however, in July 2008 just before the Wall Street meltdown, 68% were confident in the banking system.
The survey of 1,000 American Adults nationwide was conducted on July 8-9, 2012 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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                            July 12, 2012Most Americans Define $50,000-A-Year As Middle Income
So how much money do you have to earn to be a part of the middle class, and when would most Americans consider you wealthy?
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of American Adults consider $50,000 a year middle income, while 32% describe it as lower income. That hasn’t changed since the last time Rasmussen reports asked these questions in March 2009. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on July 10-11, 2012 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.
July 12, 2012The Worst Financial Scandal Yet? By Froma Harrop
If only one in four American adults can name his or her U.S. senators, we can assume that even fewer know what Libor is. Libor (pronounced lie-bor) is at the center of another major financial scandal, but that may not improve its name recognition much. This is summer, after all, and making sense of financial manipulation requires effort.
July 12, 2012A Muddled Outlook for Olympics-ready London by Michael Barone
The best view of London's Olympic Park is from the picture windows at the top floor of the John Lewis department store in the vast Westfield Stratford mall five miles east of the Tower of London.

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                            July 12, 201249% Favor Strict Legal Interpretation of the Constitution
Did the Founding Fathers mean what they said or did they view the U.S. Constitution as just a set of principles to guide the nation? That legal debate continues to this day.
But nearly half (49%) of Likely U.S. Voters believe the Constitution should be strictly interpreted as written, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Forty-three percent (43%) disagree and say they are more inclined to view it as a “living document” subject to constant reinterpretation depending on the changing times. (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 July 7-8, 2012 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.
July 11, 201232% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction
Thirty-two percent (32%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, July 8.
That's up two points from 30% the week before but in line with findings for most of this year. This marks the highest level of optimism since early March.
The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports July 2-8, 2012. 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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                            July 11, 201241% of Workers Expect To Earn More Money In A Year
Many working Americans continue to believe their earnings will be up a year from today, but younger workers are much more optimistic than their elders. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Employed Adults believe they’ll be earning more money a year from today. That's down slightly from 43% in March, the highest finding since November 2010.  Just 13% think they'll be making less. Thirty-nine percent (39%) expect their pay to be about the same in a year’s time. (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 637 Employed Adults was conducted on July 6-7, 2012 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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                            July 11, 2012Most Voters Favor Photo ID At Polls, Don’t See It As Discrimination
The Obama administration is in federal court this week challenging Texas’ new law requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls. Attorney General Eric Holder told the NAACP yesterday that such laws are like the poll taxes of old intended to keep blacks from voting.  But most voters don’t see it that way.
In fact, Rasmussen Reports polling finds that only 21% of Likely U.S. Voters nationwide think it’s discriminatory to require all voters to prove their identity before being allowed to vote.  Seventy-three percent (73%) disagree and say such a requirement does not discriminate against some voters. That's consistent with past polling on the topic.
But then 56% of voters oppose the Justice Department’s decision to challenge the legality of Texas’ new law in court.  Thirty-three percent (33%) agree with that decision, and 11% 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.
July 11, 2012Florida Senate: Mack (R) 46%, Nelson (D) 37%
Republican Congressman Connie Mack draws his highest level of support yet against incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson in Florida’s 2012 U.S. Senate race.
A new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Mack earning 46% of the vote to Nelson’s 37%. Seven percent (7%) prefer some other candidate, and 10% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Florida was conducted on July 9, 2012 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.
July 11, 201235% View Tea Party Favorably, 42% Do Not
Voters have a slightly more favorable view of the Tea Party than they did at the first of the year, but that support is still well below where it was three years ago when the grass roots movement came into existence to protest President Obama’s growth of government. A wide partisan difference of opinion remains.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 35% of Likely U.S. Voters now share a favorable opinion of the Tea Party movement. That compares to 31%  in January, the all-time low in favorability to date, and a high of 51% in mid-April 2009.
Forty-two percent (42%) view the Tea Party unfavorably, while another 24% are not sure what they thing of the group.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 9-10, 2012 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.
July 11, 2012Budget Insanity By John Stossel
Last year, Congress agreed to $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts, unless politicians find other things to cut. They didn't, of course. So now, with so-called sequestration looming in January, panic has set in. Even the new "fiscally responsible" Republicans vote against cutting Energy Department handouts to companies like Solyndra and subsidies to sugar producers. Many claim that any cut in military spending will weaken America and increase unemployment.

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                            July 11, 2012Partisans See Election 2012 As Very Important, Unaffiliateds Not So Sure
As they do every presidential election season, political activists quickly start talking about how this election is the most important of their lifetime. They rile up their own team with this perspective but fail to connect with many unaffiliated voters. (Sign up for free daily e-mail update with all the latest polling highlights).
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that, in terms of the impact on their own lives, 74% of Republicans say Election 2012 is Very Important. Virtually the same number of Democrats (73%) agree. However, among voters not affiliated with either of the major parties, just 42% believe the upcoming election is that 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.
This national survey of 1,000 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on July 5-6, 2012 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.
July 10, 201247% Rate Obama’s Leadership Good Or Excellent
Although President Obama’s ratings on the economy are at the lowest level since last November, a strong plurality of voters continues to give him positive marks for his leadership. Not surprisingly, there's also still a wide partisan difference of opinion on this question.
Forty-seven percent (47%) of Likely U.S. Voters say Obama is a good or excellent leader, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Thirty-seven percent (37%) describe his leadership is poor. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on July 5-6, 2012 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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                            July 10, 201266% Say Spending Cuts Should be Considered in All Government Programs
Voters continue to support across-the-board federal spending cuts to help solve the federal budget crisis.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 66% of Likely U.S. Voters think that, as the nation searches for solutions to the federal budget crisis, thoughtful spending cuts should be considered in every program of the federal government.
That's consistent with previous surveying but is the highest level of support since Rasmussen Reports first asked the question in August 2011. Twenty percent (20%) disagree and do not think spending cuts should be considered in all programs. Another 14% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
July 10, 2012Rasmussen Reports Launches Special 2012 Election Page
With the 2012 elections just months away, Rasmussen Reports is pleased to announce the launch of its Election 2012 page on RasmussenReports.com. Devoted to the top 2012 political contests nationwide, the new section offers far more robust information and visuals than were available for past elections. It includes easy-to-read graphic electoral maps and color-coded balance of power tables, as well as links to individual articles about the races and high-level snapshots of our individual state coverage.

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                            July 10, 2012MLB All-Star Game: 51% Predict American League Win, 41% Pick National League
Most baseball fans have no problem with the Major League Baseball All-Star Game determining which league’s team gets home field advantage in the World Series, and just over half predict the American League team will pick up that advantage tonight.
The survey of 639 Baseball Fans was conducted on July 5, 2012 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.
July 10, 2012Florida: Romney 46%, Obama 45%
Florida’s a key swing state in this year’s presidential contest, and it remains in play with President Obama and Mitt Romney still running almost even there.
Florida is considered a Toss-Up State in the Rasmussen Reports Electoral College Projections. Currently, states with 207 Electoral Votes are projected to go for President Obama while states with 170 Electoral Voters are projected to go for Mitt Romney. States with 161 Electoral Votes are projected to be either Toss-Ups or Leaners.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Florida Voters finds Romney with 46% support to the president’s 45%. Five percent (5%) prefer someone else, and four percent (4%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Florida was conducted on July 9, 2012 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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                            July 10, 2012Only 7% Support Legal Reasoning That Led to Greater Government Regulation
In 1942, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the federal government could regulate how much wheat a farmer could grow on his own property for his own use. That ruling dramatically enhanced the power of the federal government by making almost all economic activity subject to federal regulation as “interstate commerce." However, voters today overwhelmingly reject that underlying argument.
July 10, 2012Where They Play, Rich Conservatives Like Zoning by Froma Harrop
The weekend's memorable photo is of Mitt Romney driving his massive powerboat past a privately built castle, not unlike his own, on New Hampshire's Lake Winnipesaukee. On Sunday, he moseyed across the Long Island Sound to the beachy pleasure dome of billionaire conservative David Koch, in Southampton, N.Y. -- for a $75,000-a-couple dinner to raise money from like-minded Republicans. Not far away, Koch's brother Bill, a fellow funder of conservative causes, holds court in the exclusive waterfront enclave of Osterville, on Cape Cod.