Forty-two percent of voters strongly approve of Barack Obama's performance as President-Elect while 19 percent strongly disapprove, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll published Nov. 30. If those who "somewhat" approve or disapprove are added to the numbers, Obama's favorable to unfavorable ratio is 63 percent to 34 percent.
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Americans are almost evenly divided on whether the federal government should bail out the auto industry, according to a Gallup poll conducted Nov. 13-16.
Forty-nine percent oppose a bailout with 47 percent favoring one and 4 percent was undecided. The margin of error is 3 percent. Democrats favor such a measure 60 percent to 36 percent while Republicans oppose it 53 percent to 41 percent and independents are against it 65 percent to 35 percent. Among those who oppose a bailout, 79 percent say they would hold that position even if it meant the failure of one or more of the Big Three automakers to survive.
Public opinion has shifted slightly on the overall $700 billion measure to address the crisis among financial institutions. In early October, Americans considerd such action a good thing by 50 percent to 41 percent, a margin that has now fallen to 47 percent to 45 percent.
Separately, a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted Nov. 15-16 said only 26 percent of those surveyed were very or somewhat confident that U.S. policymakers know what they're doing in dealing with the nation's current economic problems. By a bigger margin than the Gallup poll, Rasmussen said that Americans think the $700 billion rescue package has been bad for the country by 48 percent to 25 percent with 26 percent not sure.
Barack Obama said at his first press conference as President-Elect that he hoped Americans would "put aside partisanship and politics" in order to deal with the challenges facing the country. But there was clearly a partisan divide in how Democrats and Republicans rated his first press conference according to a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted Nov. 7.
While overall, 52 percent of those surveyed thought Obama set the right tone in his remarks compared to 28 percent who did not, that margin depended on the 83 percent of Democrats who said so while only 24 percent of Republicans agreed. Forty-nine percent of Republicans said he did not set the right tone. Voters said by 53 percent to 44 percent that they were very or somewhat confident Obama and his team could deal with crisis, and Democrats and Republicans divided sharply again - 82 percent of Democrats expressed confidence compared to 23 percent of Republicans.
For respondents who did not identify with either party, 41 percent said Obama had set the right tone against 35 percent, while by a 50 percent to 45 percent margin, unaffiliated voters were not very or at all confident of Obama's ability to deal with crisis.
Here are updates that include polls published Friday through today in our round-up of match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama. Also, we have changed several race ratings:
- Arkansas from "Leans Republican" to "Republican Favored."
- Arizona from "Republican Favored" to "Leans Republican."
- Connecticut from "Democrat Favored" to "Safe Democrat."
- Georgia from "Republican Favored to "Leans Republican."
- New Hampshire from "Leans Democrat" to Democrat Favored."
New Mexico from "Leans Democrat" to "Democrat Favored."
- North Dakota from "Leans Republican" to "No Clear Favorite."
- Oregon from "Leans Democratic" to "Safe Democratic."
Washington State from "Leans Democratic" to "Safe Democratic."
Alaska: McCain 46.6, Obama 43.9. (Hays Research); McCain 58, Obama 39. (Research 2000)
- Arkansas: McCain 51, Obama 44. (ARG)
- Colorado: Obama 49, McCain 44. (NBC News/Mason-Dixon); Obama 54, McCain 44. (Public Policy Polling)
- Florida: Obama 49.2, McCain 48. (Zogby);Obama 50, McCain 48. (Public Policy Polling); Obama 47, McCain 45. (Quinnipiac); Obama 47, McCain 45. (Mason-Dixon); Obama 50, McCain 46. (ARG)
- Georgia: McCain 50, Obama 48. (Public Policy Polling); McCain 52, Obama 45. (SurveyUSA); McCain 47, Obama 44. (Research 2000); McCain 52, Obama 47. (Rasmussen)
- Illinois: Obama 60, McCain 38. (Rasmussen)
- Indiana: McCain 50.4, Obama 45.1. (Zogby); Obama 49, McCain 48. (Public Policy Polling); McCain 48, Obama 48. (ARG); McCain 47, Obama 47. (SurveyUSA)
- Iowa: Obama 54, McCain 37. (Des Moines Register); Obama 55, McCain 40. (SurveyUSA)
- Kentucky: McCain 56, Obama 40. (SurveyUSA); McCain 56, Obama 39. (Research 2000)
- Maine: Obama 56, McCain 43. (Rasmussen)
- Michigan: Obama 55, McCain 42. (Public Policy Polling); Obama 50, McCain 38. (EPIC -MRA)
- Minnesota: Obama 49, McCain 46. (SurveyUSA); Obama 53, McCain 38. (Research 2000); Obama 57, McCain 41. (Public Policy Polling)
- Missouri: Obama 48.8, McCain 48.8. (Zogby); Obama 49.4, McCain 48.6. (Public Policy Polling); McCain 48, Obama 48. (SurveyUSA)McCain 47, Obama 46. (NBC News/Mason-Dixon); McCain 50, Obama 47. (InsiderAdvantage/Politico)
- Montana: Obama 48, McCain 47, Paul 4. (Public Policy Polling); McCain 48, Obama 44. (Research 2000)
- Nevada: Obama 53.2, McCain 42.4. (Zogby); Obama 51, McCain 47. (Public Policy Polling); Obama 47, McCain 43. (NBC News/Mason-Dixon)
- New Hampshire: Obama 53, McCain 42. (WMUR/UNH); Obama 53, McCain 42. (SurveyUSA); Obama 50, McCain 41. (Strategic Vision); Obama 51, McCain 44. (Research 2000); Obama 51, McCain 44. (Rasmussen)
- New Mexico: Obama 58, McCain 41. (Public Policy Polling)
- North Carolina: McCain 49.5, Obama 49.1. (Zogby); Obama 50, McCain 49. (Public Policy Polling); McCain 49, Obama 46. (NBC News/Mason-Dixon); Obama 48, McCain 48. (InsiderAdvantage/Politico); Obama 45, McCain 38. (Elon University)
- Ohio: Obama 49.4, McCain 47.4. (Zogby); Obama 48, McCain 46. (SurveyUSA); Obama 51.5, McCain 45.7. (University of Cincinnati); (Obama 50, McCain 43. Quinnipiac); Obama 50, McCain 48. (Public Policy Polling); Obama 52, McCain 46. (Columbus Dispatch); McCain 47, Obama 45. (NBC News/Mason-Dixon)
- Oregon : Obama 54, McCain 42. (Rasmussen); Obama 55, McCain 39. (Research 2000). Obama 57, McCain 42. (Public Policy Polling)
- Pennsylvania: Obama 52, McCain 43. (SurveyUSA); Obama 51.2, McCain 41.4 (Zogby); Obama 51, McCain 44. (Strategic Vision); Obama 52, McCain 42. (Quinnipiac); Obama 53, McCain 45. (Public Policy Polling); Obama 52, McCain 44. (Muhlenberg); Obama 51, McCain 45. (ARG); Obama 51, McCain 47. (Rasmussen)
- South Carolina: McCain 52, Obama 44. (SurveyUSA)
- South Dakota: McCain 53, Obama 44. (Rasmussen)
- Virginia: Obama 51.7, McCain 45.3 (Zogby); Obama 50, McCain 46. (SurveyUSA); Obama 47, McCain 44. (NBC News/Mason-Dixon).
- Washington State: Obama 55, McCain 40. (Strategic Vision)
- West Virginia: McCain 55, Obama 42. (Public Policy Polling)
- Wisconsin: Obama 53, McCain 40. (Strategic Vision); Obama 55, McCain 39. (SurveyUSA).
- Wyoming: McCain 61, Obama 36. (Research 2000)
Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.
Here are our latest updates from yesterday and today on Senate races around the country from Nov.1 and Oct. 31. Today's addition is the Main race between Republican incumbent Susan Collins and Rep. Tom Allen.
- Alaska: Begich 49.3, Stevens 42. (Hays Research); Begich 58, Stevens 36. (Research 2000)
- Colorado:Udall 53, Schaffer 43. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
- Georgia.: Chambliss 48, Martin 46, Buckley 4. (Public Policy Polling); Chambliss 48, Martin 44, Buckley 5. (SurveyUSA); Chambliss 47, Martin 46, Buckley 5. (Research 2000); Chambliss 53, Martin 43. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research); Chambliss 48, Merkley 43. (Rasmussen)
- Kentucky: McConnell 53, Lunsford 45. (SurveyUSA); McConnell 47, Lunsford 44. (Research 2000); McConnell 51, Lunsford 44. (Rasmussen)
- Maine: Collins 57, Allen 41. (Rasmussen)
- Michigan: Levin 58, Hoogendyk 36. (Public Policy Polling)
- Minnesota: Coleman 44, Franken 39, Barkley 16. (SurveyUSA); Coleman 43, Franken 40, Barkley 15. (Research 2000); Franken 45, Coleman 40, Barkley 14. (Public Policy Polling); Franken 41, Coleman 37, Barkley 17. (MPR/Humphrey Institute)
- New Hampshire: Shaheen 48, Sununu 42. (WMUR/UNH); Shaheen 53, Sununu 40. (SurveyUSA); Shaheen 52, Sununu 42, Blevens 2. (Research 2000); Shaheen 52, Sununu 44. (Rasmussen)
- New Jersey: Lautenberg 52, Zimmer 37. (SurveyUSA)
- New Mexico: Udall 58, Pearce 39. (Public Policy Polling); Udall 56, Pearce 41. (Rasmussen)
- North Carolina: Hagan 51, Dole 44, Cole 3. (Public Policy Polling); Hagan 44, Dole 37. (Elon University); Hagan 53, Dole 44. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
- Oregon: Merkley 48, Smith 42. (Research 2000); Merkley 51, Smith 43, Brownlow 4. (Public Policy Polling); Merkley 49, Smith 46. (Rasmussen)
- Virginia: Warner 59, Gilmore 35. (SurveyUSA); Warner 63, Gilmore 35. (CNN/Time/Opinion Research)
- West Virginia: Rockefeller 58, Wolfe 40. (Public Policy Polling)
- Wyoming: Barasso, 60, Carter 35. (Research 2000)
- Wyoming: Enzi 62, Rothfuss 35. (Research 2000)
Also, to check on our race ratings for all Senate contests, go to our Races to Watch page.
Here are today's updates in our match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:
- Arizona: McCain 53, Obama 46. (CNN/Time); McCain 48, Obama 44. (NBC News/Mason-Dixon).
- California: Obama 55, McCain 33. (Field)
- Colorado: Obama 51, McCain 45. (Marist); Obama 48, McCain 44. (Allstate/National Journal)
- Florida: Obama 45, McCain 44. (Allstate/National Journal)
- Indiana: McCain 49, Obama 46. (Rasmussen); Obama 45.9, McCain 45.3 (Indianapolis Star-WTHR)
- Kentucky: McCain 55, Obama 43. (Rasmussen)
- Minnesota: Obama 56, McCain 37. (MPR/Humphrey); Obama Obama 48, McCain 40. (NBC News/Mason-Dixon)
- Montana: McCain 50, Obama 46. (Rasmussen)
- New Hampshire: Obama 53, McCain 40. (Suffolk University)
- New Jersey: Obama 54, McCain 38. (Research 2000)
- New Mexico: Obama 54, McCain 44. (Rasmussen)
- Nevada: Obama 52, McCain 45. (CNN/Time)
- North Carolina: Obama 50, McCain 48. (Rasmussen) Obama 52, McCain 46. (CNN/Time); Obama 47, McCain 43. (Allstate/National Journal)
- Ohio: Obama 51, McCain 47. (CNN/Time); Obama 48, McCain 41. (Allstate/National Journal)
- Pennsylvania: Obama 55, McCain 43. (CNN/Time); Obama 47, McCain 43. (NBC News/Mason-Dixon)
- South Carolina: McCain 53, Obama 42. (NBC/Princeton).
- Texas: McCain 49.3, Obama 38. (University of Texas)
- Virginia: Obama 51, McCain 47. (Marist); Obama 48, McCain 44. (Allstate/National Journal)
Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.
Here are our latest updates on Senate races around the country.
- Kentucky: McConnell 47, Lunsford 42. (Mason-Dixon)
- New Jersey: Lautenberg 56, Zimmer 39. (Research 2000)
- North Carolina: Hagan 52, Dole 46. (Rasmussen)
- Texas: Cornyn 41.1, Noriega 32.8. (University of Texas)
Also, to check on our race ratings for all Senate contests, go to our Races to Watch page.
Here are today's updates in our match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:
- Alaska: McCain 57, Obama 41. (Rasmussen)
- Arizona: McCain 46, Obama 44. (Cronkite/Eight)
- Colorado: Obama 53, McCain 45. (CNN/Time); Obama 50, McCain 41. (AP/GfK)
- Florida: Obama 51, McCain 47. (CNN/Time); Obama 47, McCain 45. (Quinnipiac); Obama 45, McCain 43. (AP/GfK)
- Georgia: McCain 52, Obama 47. (CNN/Time)
- Indiana: McCain 47, Obama 45. (Howey/Gauge)
- Michigan: Obama 53, McCain 43. (Rasmussen)
- Minnesota: Obama 55, McCain 43. (Rasmussen)
- Missouri: McCain 50, Obama 48. (CNN/Time)
- New Hampshire: Obama 58, McCain 34. (WMUR/UNH)Obama 55, McCain 37. (AP/GfK)
- Nevada: Obama 52, McCain 40. (AP/GfK)
- North Carolina: Obama 48, McCain 46. (AP/GfK)
- Ohio: Obama 46, McCain 43. (Marist); Obama 51, McCain 42. (Quinnipiac); Obama 48, McCain 41. (AP/GfK)
- Pennsylvania: Obama 52, McCain 39. (Marist); Obama 53, McCain 41. (Quinnipiac); Obama 52, McCain 40. (AP/GfK); Obama 51, McCain 39. (Franklin & Marshall)
- Virginia: Obama 53, McCain 44. (CNN/Time); Obama 49, McCain 42. (AP/GfK)
- Washington: Obama 56, McCain 39. (SurveyUSA)
Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.
Here are the states we updated yesterday and today in our match-ups between John McCain and Barack Obama:
- Arkansas: McCain 52, Obama 41. (Research 2000)
- Colorado: Obama 52, McCain 40. (Rocky Mountain News/CBS4)
- Iowa: Obama 53, McCain 44. (Rasmussen); Obama 54, McCain 39. (Research 2000)
- Kentucky: McCain 55, Obama 39. (Research 2000)
- New Hampshire: Obama 50, McCain 46. (Rasmussen); Obama 54, McCain 39. (Boston Globe)
- Ohio: Obama 49, McCain 46. (Ohio Newspaper Poll); Obama 51, McCain 44. (Public Policy Polling)
- Pennsylvania: Obama 52, McCain 41. (Muhlenberg)
- South Dakota: McCain 50, Obama 41. (Research 2000)
- Tennessee: McCain 54, Obama 38. (Research 2000)
- Virginia: Obama 52, McCain 43. (Public Policy Polling)
- Wisconsin: Obama 51, McCain 44. (Rasmussen)
Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.
Here are the states we're updating today in our round-up of general election match-ups: between John McCain and Barack Obama:
- Florida: McCain 48, Obama 46. (Strategic Vision)
- Georgia: McCain 51, Obama 46. (Rasmussen); McCain 51, Obama 45. (Strategic Vision)
- Indiana: Obama 49, McCain 45. (SurveyUSA)
- Louisiana: McCain 57, Obama 41. (Rasmussen)
- Michigan: Obama 51, McCain 37. (EPIC-MRA)
- Minnesota: Obama 56, McCain 41. (Rasmussen)
- North Carolina: McCain 50, Obama 48. (Rasmussen); Obama 44,6, McCain 44.2. (Winthrop/ETV)
- Ohio: McCain 48, Obama 45. (Strategic Vision)
- Oregon: Obama 48, McCain 43. (Riley Research)
- Pennsylvania: Obama 50, McCain 43. (Strategic Vision)
- South Carolina: McCain 55.1, Obama 34.9. (Winthrop/ETV)
- Virginia: Obama 44.6, McCain 43.6. (Winthrop/ETV)
Washington State: Obama 54, McCain 43. (Rasmussen)
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Also, check out CQ Politics Presidential election maps which give you four different ways to look at the race, including one that lets you build your own electoral scenario.