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                            February 28, 201264% Think Budget Cuts Should Be Considered in Every Government Program
Most voters continue to believe that no government program should be exempt when it comes to budget cuts.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% of Likely U.S. Voters say thoughtful spending cuts should be considered in every program of the federal government as the nation searches for solutions to the federal budget crises. Twenty-two percent (22%) disagree, and 13% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 22-23, 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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                            February 28, 201258% Say Free Market Competition Better Than Regulations At Controlling Gas Prices
Most Americans don’t believe rising gas prices reflect actual market conditions, but a majority says free market competition is better than government regulations at keeping prices down.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that only 24% think rising gas prices accurately reflect market conditions. Sixty-seven percent (67%) believe oil companies use bad news to gouge customers. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on February 23-24, 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.
February 28, 2012Wisconsin Senate: Thompson (R) 50%, Baldwin (D) 36%
Former Governor Tommy Thompson continues to be the strongest Republican contender for Wisconsin’s open U.S. Senate seat, now posting a double-digit lead over Democratic Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Wisconsin shows Thompson with 50% support to Baldwin’s 36%. Four percent (4%) like some other candidate, and 10% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Wisconsin was conducted on February 27, 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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                            February 28, 201219% Support Increased U.S. Involvement In Syria
With violence escalating in Syria, few U.S. voters believe a change in the government there would be bad for America or Israel, but most continue to think the United States should not get involved.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows that only 19% believe the United States should get more directly involved in the Syrian crisis. That’s up from 12% last August and nine percent (9%) in May. However, 56% say the United States should leave the situation in Syria alone. Twenty-five percent (25%) are undecided. Opposition to increased U.S. involvement in Syria is down from 66% last August.(To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 26-27, 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.
February 28, 2012Racial Preferences in College Admissions: Time to Go By Froma Harrop
Nothing the Supreme Court deals with is not political. But a case over affirmative action in college admissions has arrived at an especially political time. This is an election year. Working-class whites are considered swing voters, and the president running for re-election is both African-American and a beneficiary of the finest higher education our country offers. Come early fall, the Supreme Court will probably hear a case in which a white student, Abigail Fisher, claims that a race-conscious policy for admissions to the University of Texas violated her constitutional rights.

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                            February 28, 201254% Think Romney Most Likely To Be GOP Nominee
Before the ballots are cast in crucial primaries today in Arizona and Michigan, voters nationwide by better than two-to-one predict that Mitt Romney, not Rick Santorum, has the best shot at the Republican presidential nomination.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters think the former Massachusetts governor is most likely to win the GOP nomination. Santorum is a distant second, with 24% who believe he has the best chance of being the party’s nominee. (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 February 24-25, 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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                            February 27, 2012Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 43%, Democrats 39%
Republicans hold a four-point lead over Democrats on the latest Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, Feb. 26. 
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 39% would choose the Democrat instead. Last week, the Republican led by just one point.
The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from February 20-26, 2012. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage point 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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                            February 27, 201263% Believe Reducing Dependence on Foreign Oil More Important Than Low Gas Prices
Americans continue to believe strongly than the country needs to lessen its dependence on foreign oil. They tend to think that free market solutions are the best way to achieve that goal. 
Sixty-three percent (63%) of American Adults agree that reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil is more important that reducing the price of gasoline. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only half that many (32%) rate reducing the price of gasoline as more 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 Adults nationwide was conducted on February 23-24, 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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                            February 27, 201233% Favor Letting People Buy Homes With No Money Down
Though most Americans continue to believe the federal government should only back mortgages for those who can repay them, one-out-of-three thinks letting people buy homes with no money down is good for the housing market.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of American Adults shows that a majority (55%) thinks it is better for the housing market to require a 20% down payment from people buying a home rather than letting people buy homes with no money down. Thirty-three percent (33%) say it's better to let people buy homes without a down payment. Thirteen percent (13%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Adults nationwide was conducted on February 25-26, 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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                            February 27, 2012Michigan GOP Primary: Romney 38%, Santorum 36%
Front-runners Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are in a virtual tie with the former Massachusetts governor up by just two points as the Michigan Republican Primary race comes down to the wire.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters in Michigan, taken Sunday night, finds Romney with 38% support to Santorum’s 36%. Texas Congressman Ron Paul and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich remain far behind with 11% and 10% of the vote respectively. One percent (1%) likes another candidate in the race, and five percent (5%) remains undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
This Michigan survey of 750 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on February 26, 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.
February 27, 2012Romney, Santorum Represent Different White Americas By Michael Barone
If you were listening reasonably carefully to last Wednesday's Republican presidential candidate debate, you heard Rick Santorum say, "Charles Murray just wrote a book about this."
The question was about Santorum's remarks on contraception, but his answer addressed the broader issue of "the increasing number of children being born out of wedlock in America." That is indeed one of the subjects -- but only one -- of Murray's new book "Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960 to 2010."

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                            February 27, 201239% Favor Free Health Care for All Americans
While the political debate continues over mandated free contraception for women, most voters now oppose the idea of free health care for all Americans. Opposition is even higher if voters are required to change their current insurance coverage to a government plan to make that free health care possible.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters believe health care should be made available free to all Americans.  Fifty-one percent (51%) disagree and oppose universal free care. 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 survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 20-21, 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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                            February 26, 201255% Oppose Affirmative Action Policies for College Admissions
The U.S. Supreme Court last week agreed to hear a case involving the use of race as a factor in college admissions. Most voters oppose the use of so-called affirmative action policies at colleges and universities and continue to believe those policies have not been successful despite being in place for 50 years.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 24% of Likely U.S. Voters favor applying affirmative action policies to college admissions. Fifty-five percent (55%) oppose the use of such policies to determine who is admitted to colleges and universities. Twenty-one percent (21%) are undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The national telephone survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted February 22-23, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error for each survey 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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                            February 26, 201268% Say Newcomers Should Adopt America's Culture and Language
Americans appear a little less insistent that those who move here from another country adopt our culture.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 68% of Likely Voters say when people move to the United States from other parts of the world, they should adopt America’s culture, language and heritage. Twenty percent (20%) disagree and think those immigrants should try to maintain the culture, language and heritage of their own country. Twelve percent (12%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 12-13, 2012 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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                            February 25, 2012“The Help,” Clooney and Streep Lead Among Oscar Watchers
There are five actors, five actresses and nine films up for the night’s biggest awards at the 84th Academy Awards airing this Sunday, and Oscar watchers already are calling the winners.
Ten percent (10%) hope the Alexander Payne-directed film, “The Descendants,” will win the Best Picture Oscar. After that the hoped-for winners and their level of support are the Brad Pitt sports vehicle “Moneyball” (7%), Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris" (5%), the 9/11-themed “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” (4%), the Martin Scorcese-directed “Hugo” (4%), “The Tree of Life” (3%) by famed auteur Terrence Malick and Steven Spielberg's latest, “War Horse” (3%). Twenty-five percent (25%). however, don't have a preference.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 762 Adults who are likely to watch the Oscars was conducted on February 19-22, 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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                            February 25, 2012What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending February 24, 2012
Tuesday will tell us a lot about the race for the Republican presidential nomination, and right now the numbers are running Mitt Romney’s way. Things are a little murkier when it comes to the following week’s Super Tuesday.
The former Massachusetts governor has widened his lead over leading challenger Rick Santorum in Arizona with that state’s primary looming on Tuesday. It’s now Romney 42%, Santorum 29%, with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Congressman Ron Paul far behind.
February 24, 201252% Say U.S. Safer Today Than Before 9/11
Fewer voters than ever think the United States is a more dangerous place today than it was before the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. At the same time, most believe the United States is winning the war on terror.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of Likely U.S. Voters believe America is safer than it was before those attacks. Only 26% disagree and think the country is not as safe today. That's down eight points from last month and the lowest finding since regular surveying began on the question in November 2006. Twenty-two percent (22%) still are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 20-21, 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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                            February 24, 2012Montana: Romney 48%, Obama 41%
President Obama lost Montana to Senator John McCain in 2008 by a 50% to 47% margin. Now he draws even less support against the top two Republican hopefuls in the first Rasmussen Reports Election 2012 survey in the Treasure State.
The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide survey of Likely Voters in Montana shows former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney leading the president 48% to 41%. Seven percent (7%) prefer some other candidate in the race, while four percent (4%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum picks up 45% of the vote to Obama’s 41%. Nine percent (9%) prefer some other candidate, and four percent (4%) remain 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.
The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Montana was conducted on February 22, 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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                            February 24, 2012Obama, Romney Nearly Tied in Pennsylvania, Santorum Trails
Mitt Romney runs neck-and-neck with President Obama in the key electoral state of Pennsylvania, but Rick Santorum, a former U.S. senator from the Keystone State, trails the incumbent by six points. Most voters in the state disapprove of the job the president is doing.
New Rasmussen Reports data shows that if Romney is the Republican presidential nominee, Obama leads 45% to 44%. (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 Pennsylvania survey of 438 Likely Voters was conducted February 8-23, 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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                            February 24, 2012Arizona GOP Primary: Romney 42%, Santorum 29%
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has widened his lead over leading challenger Rick Santorum in the Arizona Republican Primary race with the vote just four days away.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Arizona Republican Primary Voters finds Romney leading Santorum 42% to 29%. The survey, taken after the last scheduled debate of the GOP candidates, finds Romney up three points and Santorum down two from a week ago when it was a 39% to 31% race.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich earns 16% support, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul trails with eight percent (8%), marking virtually no change for either man from the previous survey. Only one percent (1%) favors another candidate in the race, and three percent (3%) remain undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)
This Arizona survey of 750 Likely Republican Primary Voters was conducted on February 23, 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.