Politics

47% Think Holder More Interested in Politics Than in Justice

Voters think Eric Holder played politics as U.S. attorney general and hope President Obama picks someone who’s not like him to be the nation’s next top law enforcement officer. But those who view the Constitution as “a living document” are much more appreciative of his efforts than those who favor a strict interpretation of that document.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 47% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Holder was more interested in politics than in administering justice in a fair way. Just 28% disagree and think fair administration of justice was Holder’s chief interest. Nearly as many (25%) aren’t sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 27-28, 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.

Illinois Senate: Durbin (D) 51%, Oberweis (R) 37%

The Illinois U.S. Senate seat up for grabs this fall is showing no signs of slipping away from Democrat Dick Durbin.

Illinois remains Safe Democrat in the Rasmussen Reports 2014 Senate Balance of Power rankings. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in Illinois was conducted on September 24-25, 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.

Voters Favor More Action Against ISIS, but How Will Muslims Feel?

Voters are on board with President Obama's decision to step up action against the radical Islamic group ISIS in the Middle East and think involvement by Muslim nations increase the mission’s chances of success. But voters are less confident how this latest offensive will impact relations between the United States and the Muslim world.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 65% of Likely Voters agree with the president’s decision to increase the use of U.S. military force in the Middle East. Nineteen percent (19%) disagree, while 16% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on September 25-26, 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.

New Mexico Senate: Udall (D) 52%, Weh (R) 39%

The U.S. Senate race in New Mexico is a bit tighter than it was this summer, but Democratic incumbent Tom Udall still leads his Republican challenger by double digits.

In our first look at the race in late July, Udall held a 54% to 33% lead.

New Mexico is still rated Safe Democrat in the Rasmussen Reports 2014 Senate Balance of Power rankings. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 830 Likely Voters in New Mexico was conducted on September 22-23, 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.

Rhode Island Senate: Reed (D) 61%, Zaccaria (R) 26%

Democratic Senator Jack Reed has a better than two-to-one lead in his bid for a fourth term in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island is ranked Safe Democrat in the Rasmussen Reports 2014 Senate Balance of Power rankings. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in Rhode Island was conducted on September 23-25, 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.

Rhode Island Governor: Raimondo (D) 42%, Fung (R) 37%

Democratic State Treasurer Gina Raimondo is running slightly ahead of Republican Allan Fung in the race to be Rhode Island’s next governor.

Raimondo picks up 42% support to Fung’s 37% in Rasmussen Reports’ first statewide telephone survey of Likely Rhode Island Voters. Eleven percent (11%) prefer some other candidate in the race, while another 11% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in Rhode Island was conducted on September 23-25, 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.

New Mexico Governor: Martinez (R) 50%, King (D) 37%

Incumbent Republican Susana Martinez is back on track to be reelected governor of New Mexico.

New Mexico moves from a Toss-Up to Safe Republican on the Rasmussen Reports 2014 Gubernatorial Scorecard. Martinez, a former district attorney, was first elected governor in 2010 with 53% of the vote. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 830 Likely Voters in New Mexico was conducted on September 22-23, 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.

42% Think Romney Would Be Doing A Better Job Than Obama

With President Obama's job approval rating hovering near -20, some inevitably wonder what if the last two presidential elections had turned out differently.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney would be doing a better job as president today than Obama is. Thirty-seven percent (37%), however, think Romney would be doing a worse job, while 12% think he would be doing about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 19-20, 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.

Obama and Hillary: Friends or Foes?

Voters tend to think a Hillary Clinton presidency would be like the Obama presidency when it comes to the major issues and expect President Obama to endorse his former secretary of State. But they’re not so sure the two top Democrats like each other.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 28% of Likely U.S. Voters think Clinton and Obama like each other. Thirty-four percent (34%) say they don’t. Slightly more (37%) 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 Likely Voters was conducted on September 23-24, 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.

New York Governor: Cuomo (D) 49%, Astorino (R) 32%

Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo appears well on his way to reelection in New York.

Cuomo picks up 49% of the vote to Republican challenger Rob Astorino’s 32% in a new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Empire State Voters. Seven percent (7%) like some other candidate in the race, while 12% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 825 Likely Voters in New York was conducted on September 22-23, 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.

GOP Voters Think Republicans in Congress Out of Touch

Democrats continue to feel much more strongly than Republicans that their representatives in Congress are doing a good job fighting for what their party believes in. But most voters in both parties think the current Congress should be thrown out.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 28% of Likely Republican Voters believe Republicans in Congress have done a good job representing GOP values. By contrast, nearly twice as many Likely Democratic Voters (53%) believe Democrats in Congress have done a good job representing their party’s values.

Sixty-two percent (62%) of Republicans think instead that their legislators have lost touch with GOP voters from throughout the nation. Only 33% of Democrats think their congressional representatives have lost touch with the party’s base. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 21-22, 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.

35% See Catastrophe Coming Without UN Action on Global Warming

More Americans now see the United Nations as an ally, and they're more worried about what will happen to the world if the UN doesn’t take action on global warming. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 35% of American Adults believe the world is headed toward an irreversible catastrophe if the members of the UN fail to deal with global warming. Just as many (36%) disagree. Twenty-nine percent (29%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on September 20-21, 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.

48% See Immediate Need to Fight Global Warming

Americans agree that an international agreement to fight global warming is more likely to hurt rather than help the U.S. economy, but they still tend to favor such an agreement even if it dictates to businesses in this country how they must operate.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that nearly half (48%) of American Adults believe we must take immediate action to stop global warming. Thirty-six percent (36%) say we should wait a few years to see if global warming is real before making major changes. Sixteen percent (16%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on September 20-21, 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.

Voters See Obama As More Hurt Than Help in Upcoming Elections

Even Democrats don’t think a campaign visit by President Obama to their state this fall is a good idea for their party's candidates.

Just 22% of Likely U.S. Voters describe Barack Obama’s presidency as a success, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Nearly twice as many (42%) think the Obama presidency has been a failure. Thirty-three percent (33%) rate it somewhere in between. (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 September 19-20, 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.

Voters Think Overworked U.S. Troops Will Soon Be Fighting In Iraq

Most voters believe the U.S. military has too many missions these days and think it’s likely that fighting in Iraq will soon be another job for it to do. But while President Obama is reportedly sending 3,500 military personnel to Africa to fight Ebola, voters say patrolling the border to prevent illegal immigration would be a better use for those forces.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 55% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the U.S. military is overstretched these days. Just 31% think the military can adequately handle the number of missions it has. Fourteen percent (14%) 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 September 17-18, 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.

Massachusetts Senate: Markey (D) 49%, Herr (R) 31%

Democrat Ed Markey is well ahead in his bid for a full U.S. Senate term in Massachusetts.

A new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Massachusetts Voters shows Markey with 49% support to 31% for his Republican challenger Brian Herr. However, five percent (5%) prefer some other candidate, and a surprisingly large 15% 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 Massachusetts was conducted on September 16-17, 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.

Only 33% of Americans Can Find Scotland On a Map?

While Great Britain is holding its breath today to see if the Scots vote for independence, most Americans (51%) have no opinion about the referendum and only 33% think most of their fellow countrymen can even locate Scotland on a map.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 30% of American Adults favor Scotland becoming an independent nation rather than remaining part of Great Britain. Nineteen percent (19%) oppose them gaining independence, but half of Americans (51%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 16-17, 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.

Voters See ‘War on Women’ As Politics, Not Reality

Most voters don’t consider the so-called “war on women” a war at all but see it as just a political tactic. But women are less convinced than men that they share the same political interests.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 22% of Likely U.S. Voters believe there is really a political “war on women” going on. Fifty-nine percent (59%) say the “war on women” is primarily a slogan used for political purposes instead. But 19% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 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.

Voters Still Say No to D.C. Statehood

Most voters still don’t think Washington, D.C. should be a state, and they remain closely divided over whether Congress should give up its long-standing veto power over the city’s laws and budget.

The U.S. Constitution designates the nation’s capital as a federal district, not a state, and only 24% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that should be changed. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% oppose statehood for Washington, D.C. Eighteen percent (18%) are undecided.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 15-16, 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.

Most Voters Still Want Government to Cut Spending to Boost Economy

In reacting to the nation’s current economic problems, more voters worry the government won’t do enough than that it will do too much. However, they hope the government’s response is to cut spending, not increase it.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 52% of Likely U.S. Voters are more concerned that the government won't dip enough in responding to the bad economy. Just 38% are more worried that the government will do too much. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 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.