Politics

Voters Vote No on Ex-POW Bergdahl

Just over half of voters still disagree with the Obama administration’s decision to swap several Taliban prisoners for POW Bowe Bergdahl in Afghanistan.

The Army announced last week that Bergdahl will be charged with desertion as news reports have suggested since shortly after his release last May. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 30% of Likely U.S. Voters agree with the decision to trade Bergdahl for five Taliban leaders who were being held at the Guantanamo Bay terrorist prison camp.   Fifty-one percent (51%) disagree with that decision. Nineteen percent (19%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 26 and 29, 2015 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.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

GOP Voters Are Closely Divided on Cruz's Chances

Ted Cruz, the junior U.S. senator from Texas, is the first official Republican candidate for president, but GOP voters are almost evenly divided this early out whether he’ll be their party’s nominee in 2016. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 24-25, 2015 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.

Iran, Not Israel, Seen As Bigger Spying Threat

The Obama administration has accused Israel of spying on its nuclear negotiations with Iran, a charge the Israelis have denied. But while U.S. voters consider foreign spying a more serious threat these days, they continue to rank Israel well below China and Russia on the list of culprits.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 79% of Likely U.S. Voters consider spying by other countries to be a serious threat, up from 67% in late 2013. This includes 38% who say it’s a Very Serious one, compared to 26% who felt that way in the previous survey. Just 15% now say foreign spying is a not very or Not At All Serious threat. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 24-25, 2015 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.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

Obamacare: Voters vs. SCOTUS

President Obama yesterday celebrated the fifth anniversary of Congress’ passage of his national health care law, but most Americans still don’t like it.

Fifty-two percent (52%) of Likely U.S. Voters view the law unfavorably, while 44% share a favorable opinion of Obamacare. This includes 15% with a Very Favorable view and 35% with a Very Unfavorable one.

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Who’s Been The Last Decade’s Best Secretary of State?

As far as voters are concerned, Condoleezza Rice has done the best job as the nation's chief diplomat during the past 10 years.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters think Rice who served as secretary of State during the George W. Bush administration from 2005 to 2009 did a better job than John Kerry, the current secretary, and his predecessor Hillary Clinton. Thirty-two percent (32%) think Clinton did a better job serving as secretary of State, while just 14% say that of Kerry. Twelve percent (12%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 18-19, 2015 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.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

Afghanistan By The Numbers

President Obama has agreed to new Afghani President Ashraf Ghani’s request to delay U.S. troop withdrawals as America’s longest-running war keeps dragging on. Ghani is expected to give his thanks to the U.S. Congress in a speech today.

President George W. Bush launched the war in October 2001 to end Afghanistan’s harboring of al Qaeda terrorists training against the United States, but 13-and-a-half years later, few Americans believe that goal has been reached.

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Voter Concern About Cyberattack Jumps to New High

More voters than ever believe a cyberattack would do more damage to this country than a traditional military attack.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 61% of Likely U.S. Voters think a cyberattack by another country poses a greater economic threat to the United States than a traditional military attack. That’s up 12 points from 49% late last year and the highest finding measured in surveys since June 2011. Just 16% disagree, while 23% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 18-19, 2015 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.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

Voters Feel No Rush to Make Lynch Next Attorney General

Voters are in no bigger hurry than the Republican-led Senate to make Loretta Lynch the next U.S. attorney general.

Just 33% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the Senate should confirm the federal prosecutor from Brooklyn, N.Y., to be the nation’s highest law enforcement officer. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 27% oppose Lynch’s confirmation as attorney general, but 40% remain undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 22-23, 2015 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.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

Voters Are Less Supportive of Sending Troops to Fight ISIS

Voters tend to believe the radical Islamic State group (ISIS) is winning the war in Iraq but are much less supportive of putting U.S. combat troops in the fight than they were six weeks ago.

Just 25% of Likely U.S. Voters think the United States and its allies are winning the war in Iraq, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Thirty-eight percent (38%) believe ISIS is winning. Just as many (37%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 18-19, 2015 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.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

54% Think Democrats Should Run A Fresh Face in 2016

Most voters think the Democratic Party should look for a presidential newcomer in 2016, and over half of Democrats don't disagree.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Democrats should look for a fresh face to run for president in 2016 rather than promote a candidate who has already run in the past. Only 22% think Democrats should go with a candidate from the past. Just as many (23%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 16-17, 2015 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.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

60% Say Congress Needs to Sign Off on Any Iranian Nuke Deal

Voters remain lukewarm about the nuclear deal the Obama administration is negotiating with Iran, and most think it needs to be approved by Congress. But they aren’t happy with the letter 47 Republican senators sent to the Iranian government putting the current negotiations in question either. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 16-17, 2015 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 Think Media Wrong on Race Shootings, Put Police At Risk

Following the shooting last week of two police officers in Ferguson, Missouri, most voters think the media is overemphasizing shootings by the police and making their jobs more dangerous. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 24% of Likely U.S. Voters think white police officers shooting innocent black people is a bigger problem in America today than blacks shooting each other. Sixty-two percent (62%) believe black people shooting other blacks is the bigger problem. Fourteen percent (14%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 12 and 15, 2015 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.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

Will We Soon Be Saying Madam President?

Voters are more confident that Americans will elect a woman president in the near future, although their willingness to vote for a woman hasn't changed. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 8-9, 2015 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 Hold Military In High Esteem

Overall confidence in the U.S. military is at an all-time high, while the number of voters who approve of the increased role of women in the armed forces continues to climb.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that 73% of Likely U.S. Voters now think the United States has the best military in the world. That’s up three points from January and is the highest level of praise since regular tracking began in December 2013. Just 13% don’t think the U.S. military is the world’s best, while 14% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 10-11, 2015 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.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

Voters See Feds As Hindrance More Than Help to Local Cops

The U.S. Justice Department last week charged police in Ferguson, Missouri with a widespread pattern of racial discrimination, prompting the police chief to resign, but few voters expect Ferguson to become any safer. But then very few think the federal government is much help to local police. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 12 and 15, 2015 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 America’s Prestige Has Suffered on Obama’s Watch

Voters are okay with the businesslike relationship President Obama has with most world leaders, but they think his administration’s policies haven’t helped America’s position in the world. (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 March 10-11, 2015 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.

Vote - or Else?

Some have suggested making voting mandatory in the United States to raise turnout and create “a more moderate and more representative electorate.” But voters strongly reject that idea.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 25% of Likely U.S. Voters think all Americans should be required to vote and subjected to penalties if they do not. Sixty-five percent (65%) oppose compulsory voting such as the kind that exists in Australia and several other countries. 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 March 10-11, 2015 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.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

More Voters Think Benghazi Will Hurt Hillary

As Hillary Clinton prepares to officially announce her candidacy for president in 2016, more voters than ever think the Benghazi controversy will negatively impact her campaign. (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 March 4-5, 2015 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.

60% Say Obama’s Deal Unlikely To Keep Iran From Nukes

Voters express little confidence in President Obama’s negotiations to slow Iran’s nuclear weapons program but are almost evenly divided over whether the open letter by Senate Republicans to the Iranian government to stop the deal was a good idea.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 31% of Likely U.S. Voters think Iran is likely to slow or stop its development of nuclear weapons as a result of the treaty the president is now negotiating. That includes only nine percent (9%) who say it’s Very Likely. Sixty percent (60%) believe the administration's deal is unlikely to put the brakes on Iran’s nuclear program, with 33% who say it’s Not At All Likely to work. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 10-11, 2015 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.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

Bigger Problem - Racist Cops or Inner City Crime?

The fallout continues in Ferguson, Missouri, following a Justice Department report accusing the city government of a widespread pattern of racial discrimination. But in most inner city communities, is racism the real problem? (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 2-3, 2015 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.