What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending June 24, 2017

This week witnessed the conclusion of the most expensive congressional race in history, and big money and divisive politics were on full display.

Republican Karen Handel narrowly defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff in the special election for Georgia’s 6th congressional district, one that Democrats hoped to flip despite its long history of electing Republicans. It was the most expensive congressional race in history, and voters agree money makes it impossible for most people to run for Congress. But they also still believe that money is not the most important factor in an election. 

Democrats were hoping that opposition to President Trump would change some voters’ minds, but most Republicans said back in April that Trump will help candidates running for Congress this year.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) of Americans say they would consider running for Congress themselves. 

Five months into Trump’s presidency, voters think America has become even more divided.

Half of voters in the country are angry at President Trump. The other half are angry at those who oppose him.

However, if there’s one thing Democrats and Republicans can agree on it’s that the nation’s politicians are in more danger of political violence these days. 

President Trump’s deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein warned the American public late last week against putting much stock in news stories that cite anonymous officials. Voters seem to agree.

Voters are still critical of the news coverage President Trump is getting and continue to believe most reporters are out to get him.

Republicans strongly suspect that senior Obama administration officials used secret U.S. intelligence information for political ammunition, and voters think that's worth investigating. But few believe criminal charges are likely.

In the wake of the United States’ downing of a Syrian warplane, voters believe this is just the beginning of a situation that will get worse and could result in direct military conflict with Russia. 

In other surveys this week:

-- Thirty-five percent (35%) of voters say the country is heading in the right direction.

-- Voters think it's easier to enter the United States illegally and stay here illegally than it is in most other countries around the globe.

-- Voters want to crack down on illegal immigration, and to many, that still means locking down the borders.

-- In his testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee earlier this month, former FBI Director James Comey said he became confused and concerned when former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch instructed him to refer to the FBI's criminal investigation into Hillary Clinton's e-mail server as "a matter,” rather than an investigation. Ranking members of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary have since called for further investigation into the Comey-Lynch "matter," which was the subject of this week's Rasmussen Minute.

-- Americans still place high importance on children growing up in a home with two parents.

Visit the Rasmussen Reports home page for the latest current polling coverage of events in the news. The page is updated several times each day.

Remember, if it's in the news, it's in our polls.