68% Want US to Side With Ukraine; 5% with Russia; 15% Neither

Posted on March 4, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of voters want the United States to side with Ukraine in the current conflict. A Scott Rasmussen national survey finds that 5% want the U.S. to side with Russia. Fifteen percent (15%) don’t want our country taking sides and 12% are not sure.

Among those who prefer policies like those of Bernie Sanders, 74% want the U.S. to side with Russia. That view is shared by 74% of traditional Democrats, 73% of traditional Republicans, and 68% of those who prefer-Trump like policies.

Note: Neither Scott Rasmussen, ScottRasmussen.com, nor RMG Research, Inc. have any affiliation with Rasmussen Reports. While Scott Rasmussen founded that firm, he left nearly a decade ago and has had no involvement since that time.

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on March 1-2, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

53% Believe America’s Legal System Cares More About Criminals Than Victims

Posted on March 1, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-three percent (53%) of voters believe that America’s legal system cares more about criminals than victims. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 35% disagree and 12% are not sure.

The view that our legal system cares more about criminals than victims is shared by 55% of Hispanic voters, 53% of White voters, and 50% of Black voters.

Fifty-six percent (56%) of Republicans hold that view along with 54% of Independent voters and 45% of Democrats.

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on February 15-16, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

23% Believe Defunding the Police Will Lead to Less Crime and Stronger Communities

Posted on March 1, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Twenty-three percent (23%) believe that defunding the police will lead to less crime and stronger communities. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 68% disagree.

Those totals include 12% who Strongly Agree and 50% who Strongly Disagree.

The view that defunding the police will produce such positive benefits is rejected by 80% of Republicans, 65% of Independents, and 56% of Democrats.

An earlier Number of the Day noted that 80% see police officers as generally good people doing a difficult job to the best of their ability.

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

67% Believe Biological Males Who Identify as Women Have Unfair Advantage in Women’s Sports

Posted on March 1, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

When it comes to competitive sports, 67% of voters believe biological males who identify as women have an unfair advantage over biological females. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 17% disagree and 16% are not sure.

Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Republicans believe such transgender athletes have an unfair advantage. So do 65% of Independent voters and 57% of Democrats.

Overall, 21% believe that biological males who identify as women should be allowed to compete in women’s sports.

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on February 24-27, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

50% Think US Will Still Be World’s Leading Superpower in 20 Years or So

Posted on February 28, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters consider it likely that the United States will still be the world’s leading superpower in 20 or 25 years. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 30% consider it unlikely and 14% are not sure.

Those totals include 22% who consider it Very Likely and 7% who think it’s Not at All Likely.

Sixty-one percent (61%) of men think it’s likely that the U.S. will remain the world’s leading superpower. So do 52% of women.

Among voters under 35, 63% share that optimistic view. Fifty-three percent (53%) of seniors do as well.

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on February 22-23, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

68% Believe Invasion of Ukraine Will Lead to Higher Gas Prices in U.S.

Posted on February 25, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of voters believe that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will lead to higher gas prices in the United States. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 10% disagree and 22% are not sure.

The survey also found that 68% believe the invasion will make supply chain problems worse. On that point, 13% disagree and 19% are not sure.

On both questions, older voters are more likely than younger voters to make a connection between the invasion and economic consequences for the U.S.

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

73% believe home schooling is a good option

Posted on February 22, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Seventy-three percent (73%) of voters believe home schooling is a good option for parents who have the time and ability to provide it. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 21% disagree and 6% are not sure.

Seventy-six percent (76%) of Republicans believe home schooling is a good option. So do 74% of Independent voters and 68% of Democrats.

The survey also found that 62% believe private schools provide a better education than public schools. Twenty-five percent (25%) disagree.

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on February 17-19, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

84% believe parents should be able to see all curriculum plans and materials

Posted on February 22, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Eighty-four percent (84%) of voters believe that parents should be able to see all curriculum plans and materials for classes their children take. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 12% disagree and 5% are not sure.

Fifty-six percent (56%) strongly support curriculum transparency while 5% are strongly opposed.

The survey found that 44% of voters believe many schools teach a radical ideology that would be offensive to parents, Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree while 19% are not sure.

Another factor in the support for transparency comes from the fact that 68% believe most public schools have lowered standards rather than demanding more from students.

Most voters (56%) believe public school boards do not respect the role of parents. On that point, 34% disagree.

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

16% Believe Students Will Never Fully Recover From Pandemic School Closings

Posted on February 22, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixteen percent (16%) of voters believe students will never recover academically and socially from the pandemic and school closings. However, a Scott Rasmussen national survey found that most voters (56%) believe they will be caught up within a year or two.

Overall, 73% of voters believe students were harmed socially by the lack of in-person learning. Sixty-seven percent (67%) believe the students were hurt academically.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of Republicans believe students suffered academically. That view is shared by 65% of Independent voters and 62% of Democrats.

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

77% Say Schools Should Be Open for In-person Learning and Leading a Return to Normalcy

Posted on February 21, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of voters agree that schools should now be open for in-person learning and leading a return to normalcy. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 16% disagree and 7% are not sure.

Those totals include 44% who Strongly Agree and 4% who Strongly Disagree.

Eighty-eight percent (88%) of Republicans agree that schools should now be leading a return to normalcy. That view is shared by 76% of Democrats and 70% of Independent voters.

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

80% See Police Officers as Good People Doing a Difficult Job

Posted on February 17, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Eighty percent (80%) of voters see police officers as generally good people doing a difficult job to the best of their ability. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that view is shared by 85% of White voters, 72% of Hispanic voters, and 60% of Black voters.

Just 16% of all voters disagree with that assessment.

The survey also found that 56% believe America’s biggest cities are being destroyed by prosecutors who refuse to follow the law.

By a 53% to 35% margin, voters believe that America’s legal system cares more about criminals than victims.

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

61% Believe Public Health Officials Followed the Politics, Not the Science

Posted on February 13, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

During the pandemic, 61% of voters believe leading public health officials followed the politics, not the science. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 26% disagree and 14% are not sure.

Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans believe public health officials followed politics rather than science. So do 56% of Independent voters and 50% of Democrats.

The survey also found that 57% of voters believe vaccine mandates made supply chain problems worse. Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree.

Fifty percent (50%) believe government mandates made the pandemic worse than it had to be. Forty percent (40%) disagree with that assessment.

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on February 10-13, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

59% Say It’s Time to Put Pandemic Behind Us, Return to Normal Life

Posted on February 13, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of voters believe it is time to put the pandemic behind us and return to normal life. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 32% disagree and 8% are not sure.

Those totals include 37% who Strongly Agree it is time for a return to normalcy and 13% who Strongly Disagree.

Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans are ready to put the pandemic behind us along with 58% of Independents.

Democrats are evenly divided: 46% say it’s time for us to return to normal life while 48% disagree.

Data released earlier showed a sharp growth in optimism about the pandemic. Forty percent (40%) believe the worst is behind us while 32% fear it is still to come.

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

40% Believe Worst of Pandemic Is Behind Us

Posted on February 13, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty percent (40%) of voters now believe the worst of the pandemic is behind us. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 32% believe the worst is yet to come while 28% are not sure.

Those figures represent a dramatic improvement over the past few weeks. In late January, just 29% thought the worst was behind us and 44% feared it was still to come. Optimism today is at the highest level since November.

The survey also found that 45% think the Biden Administration will wait too long to re-open society. Thirty-six percent (36%) take the opposite view and think they will re-open too quickly.

Most Democrats (58%) worry about re-opening too quickly while most Republicans (62%) worry about waiting too long. Independent voters, by a 45% to 29% margin, think the Administration will wait too long.

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

54% Believe More Freedom Leads to More Equality

Posted on February 11, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters believe that more freedom leads to more equality. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 25% disagree and 20% are not sure.

The survey also found that 41% of voters do not see a conflict between freedom and equality. Thirty-five percent (35%) believe that freedom is more important, 19% say equality matter more, and 6% are not sure.

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of both Republicans and Democrats do not see a conflict between the two ideals. Republicans, by a 49% to 10% margin, believe freedom is more important. Democrats, however, are evenly divided. Twenty-nine percent (29%) say freedom is more important while 27% say equality is the top priority.

Among Independent voters, 44% don’t see a conflict; 28% say freedom is more important and 20% say equality matters more.

Question 1:

Generally speaking, is there a conflict between freedom and equality?

59% Yes

23% No

18% Not sure

Question 2:

[If “Yes” to question 1] Which is more important: freedom or equality?

41% No conflict

35% Freedom

19% Equality

6% Not sure

Question 3:

Does more individual freedom lead to more equality or to more inequality?

23% Much more equality

31% Somewhat more equality

18% Somewhat more inequality

7% Much more inequality

20% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on February 8-9, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

54% Say It’s Important to Have a Black Woman On the Supreme Court

Posted on February 8, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters think it is important for a Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 38% say it’s not important and 8% are not sure.

Those totals include 29% who say it’s Very Important and 20% who say it’s Not at All Important.

However, while seeing the goal as important, just 35% agree with President Biden’s plan to only consider Black women when making his Supreme Court nomination. Fifty-seven percent (57%) disagree.

Eighty-two percent (82%) of Republicans disagree with Biden’s approach. So do 56% of Independent voters. However, 60% of Democrats take the opposite view and support the president’s decision to only consider Black women.

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen from February 1-2, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

26% Want to Expand the Supreme Court

Posted on February 8, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Twenty-six percent (26%) of voters want Congress to pass a law increasing the number of Supreme Court justices. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 57% disagree and believe the Supreme Court should continue to have nine justices. Seventeen percent (17%) are not sure.

By a 76% to 15% margin, Republicans want to continue with nine justices on the Court. Independents, by a 49% to 21% margin, agree. Democrats are evenly divided.

Methodology

68% Favor Providing Mental Health Services for Women Who Have Abortion

Posted on February 8, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of voters favor a government program that would provide mental health services for women who have an abortion and regret it later. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 20% are opposed and 12% are not sure.

Those totals include 38% who Strongly Favor such an approach and 9% who are Strongly Opposed.

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Democrats favor providing mental health services for women who regret having an abortion. So do 66% of Independent voters and 62% of Republicans.

Seventy percent (70%) of White voters favor the proposal along with 65% of Hispanic voters and 62% of Black voters.

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen from February 3-6, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

54% of Registered Voters Say They Will Definitely Vote in Midterm Elections

Posted on February 7, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-four percent (54%) of Registered Voters say they will Definitely vote in this year’s midterm elections. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that an additional 18% are Very Likely to vote.

Sixty percent (60%) of White voters say they will Definitely vote. So do 39% of Hispanic voters and 33% of Black voters.

Among Republicans and those who lean to the Republican party, 65% say they will Definitely vote. Among Democrats and those who lean to the Democratic party, that figure is 57%. Among Independents who don’t lean towards either party, just 29% will Definitely vote

oters say they will Definitely vote in this year’s midterm elections. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that an additional 18% are Very Likely to vote.

Sixty percent (60%) of White voters say they will Definitely vote. So do 39% of Hispanic voters and 33% of Black voters.

Methodology

38% Say Supreme Court is Most Trusted Branch of Government

Posted on February 4, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of voters see the Supreme Court as the most trusted branch of government. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 16% place their trust in the presidency and 13% say Congress is the most trusted. Thirty-three percent (33%) are not sure.

On the flip side, 37% say the presidency is the least trusted. Thirty-four percent (34%) see Congress that way and 12% name the Supreme Court as least trustworthy. On this question, 17% are not sure.

As on many topics, there is a significant partisan divide:

A majority of Republicans name the Supreme Court as the most trusted branch (51%) and the presidency as least trusted (61%).
A solid plurality of Democrats (46%) say Congress is the least trustworthy. However, they are somewhat more divided on the question of which branch of government they trust the most: 35% say the presidency while 26% name the Supreme Court.
As for Independent voters, 40% are not sure which branch they trust the most. Thirty-six percent (36%) name the Supreme Court, 12% say Congress, and 11% say the presidency. Independents are divided on who they trust the least: 36% say Congress and 32% the presidency.

Methodology

21% Say Status in Life Determined by Racial and Ethnic Heritage

Posted on February 3, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Twenty-one percent (21%) of voters believe that your status in life is determined by your racial and ethnic heritage. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 66% disagree and 13% are not sure.

Thirty percent (30%) of Democrats believe racial and ethnic heritage determines status in life. That view is shared by 18% of Independents and and 14% of Republicans. However, most Republicans (76%), Democrats (57%), and Independents (64%) reject that idea.

The survey also found that 72% believe their identity as an American is more important than their racial and ethnic heritage. Eighteen percent (18%) disagree. Those figures include 44% who Strongly Agree and 7% who Strongly Disagree.

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen from January 24-25, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

29% Believe Worst of the Pandemic Is Behind Us

Posted on February 2, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of voters believe the worst of the pandemic is behind us. That’s way down from 46% in November and 56% last May. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 44% believe the worst is yet to come while 28% are not sure.

However, 49% of voters are now more worried about unnecessary government restrictions and lockdowns than getting COVID. A slightly smaller number–42%– are more worried about getting COVID.

Most Republicans (65%) and Independents (54%) are more worried about unnecessary government restrictions. Most Democrats (64%) are more worried about getting COVID.

Methodology

29% Have Never Been Tested for COVID

Posted on February 1, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of voters have never been tested for COVID. A Scott Rasmussen survey found that another 29% have been tested more than twice. In between are 40% who have been tested once or twice.

Thirty-two percent (32%) of Republicans have never been tested along with 28% of Independent voters and 26% of Democrats.

At the other extreme, 33% of Independents have been tested more than twice along with 32% of Democrats and 20% of Republicans.

Overall, 21% of voters say they have tested positive for COVID.

Three percent (3%) of voters say they have been hospitalized with COVID and another 1% say they had Very Serious symptoms. Five percent (5%) say their symptoms were Somewhat Serious while 13% reported that their symptoms were not serious.

Methodology

67% Believe Decline of Family is Hurting American Growth and Prosperity

Posted on January 31, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixty-seven percent (67%) of voters believe the decline of the family is harming American growth and prosperity. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 23% disagree and 10% are not sure.

Those totals include 33% who Strongly Agree and 10% who Strongly Disagree.

Seventy-six percent (76%) of Republicans believe the decline of the family is harming American growth and prosperity. So do 63% of Democrats and 63% of Independent voters

That view is shared by 78% of Senior Citizens and 55% of voters under 35.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen from January 20-21, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

65% Believe Growing Up Without a Father at Home Places Children at a Significant Disadvantage

Posted on January 28, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixty-five percent (65%) of voters believe children who grow up without their father at home are at a significant disadvantage in life. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 30% disagree and 5% are not sure.

Those totals include 28% who Strongly Agree that growing up without a father at home is a disadvantage and 12% who Strongly Disagree.

Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans believe those without a father at home are disadvantaged. So do 60% of Democrats and 58% of Independents.

The survey also found 49% believe it is the responsibility of the community to step up and help support a fatherless child. Forty-three percent (43%) disagree.

Forty-two percent (42%) believe it is the responsibility of government to step up and help support such children. Forty-nine percent (49%) disagree.

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Methodology

87% Say Strong Family Ties Important for a Healthy Society

Posted on January 27, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

To create a healthy society, 87% of voters believe it is important to have strong family ties with both parents involved in raising their children. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 8% disagree and 5% are not sure.

Those totals include 68% who say it is Very Important and 3% who say it is Not at All Important.

When it comes to raising children and teaching core values, 84% believe parents should bear primary responsibility. Eleven percent (11%) believe it should be the community at large and 5% are not sure.

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Methodology

7% Do Not Believe The Holocaust Happened

Posted on January 26, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Eighty-three percent (83%) of voters recognize that, when Germany was run by Adolf Hitler, their government systematically and intentionally killed approximately 6 million Jewish men, women, and children. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 7% do not believe it happened. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure.

Among voters over 65, just 3% deny the reality of the Holocaust. However, among those under 35, 12% do not believe it happened.

The survey also found that 53% believe anti-Semitism is a serious problem in America today. Thirty-three percent (33%) do not see it as a serious problem.

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Methodology

36% Believe Benefits of Government Worth the Costs; 40% Disagree

Posted on January 25, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Thirty-six percent (36%) of voters believe the benefits of government are worth the costs. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 40% disagree and 24% are not sure.

Six months ago, by a 41% to 33% margin, a plurality said the benefits were worth the cost.

It is interesting to note that the decline occurred primarily among those who prefer traditional Republican policies. In both surveys, Democrats tended to believe the benefits were worth the cost. Also in both surveys, those who prefer Trump-like policies strongly believed the cost was too high.

However, six months ago, traditional Republicans thought the benefits were worth it by a 41% to 32% margin. Now, traditional Republicans take the opposite view by a 48% to 24% margin.

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Methodology

42% Believe America’s Best Days Still to Come; 34% Disagree

Posted on January 21, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-two percent (42%) of voters believe that America’s best days are still to come. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 34% disagree and believe America’s best days have come and gone. Twenty-four percent (24%) are not sure.

This assessment is far more pessimistic than the perceptions in November 2020. On the eve of the last presidential election, 61% believe the nation’s best days were still to come while just 20% thought they had come and gone.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of Democrats believe the best is yet to come. That view is shared by 38% of Republicans and 31% of Independents.

Data released earlier showed that 65% of voters believe the United States is more divided and polarized today than at any previous time in history.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on January 18-19, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

55% Favor US Joining NATO Allies in Sending Troops to Protect Ukraine; 21% Disagree

Posted on January 20, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

If all NATO countries send troops to protect Ukraine, 55% of voters believe the United States should also send troops. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that just 21% disagree and 24% are not sure.

However, just 33% believe the United States should go it alone while 32% are opposed.

The survey, conducted just before President Biden’s press conference, found that 65% believed it likely that Russia would invade Ukraine.

After being informed that Russia has warned against a future expansion of NATO, 46% believe NATO should invite Ukraine to join the alliance. Fifteen percent (15%) are opposed and 39% are not sure.

In considering these numbers, it is important to recognize how little voters have been focusing on this issue. Only 14% of voters are following news stories on the topic Very Closely. Another 37% say they are following it Somewhat Closely.

More broadly, 81% of voters believe it is important for the United States to play a leading role in global affairs and international policy.

Rather than trying to maintain our status as the world’s leading superpower, 27% think the United States should share global leadership with China and Russia.

Overall, 42% of voters have confidence in President Biden as Commander in Chief. Fifty-four percent (54%) do not. These figures generally reflect the president’s job approval ratings.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

53% Have Confidence in the U.S. System of Elections

Posted on January 17, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-three percent (53%) of voters are confident that American elections are conducted in a manner that ensures all votes are counted and that the proper winners are declared in each election. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 40% lack such confidence and 7% are not sure.

Eighty-five percent (85%) of Democrats currently express confidence in our system of elections. That confidence is shared by 48% of Independent voters and 33% of Republicans. Polling conducted over the past several decades has consistently shown that voters have more confidence in election results when their team wins the White House.

Despite the tepid confidence in our election system, just 21% of voters are following news about election reform Very Closely. That total includes 30% of Democrats, 22% of Republicans and 15% of Independent voters.

Data released earlier showed that 80% favor requiring voters to show a photo ID before casting a ballot. Additionally, 85% also favor a requirement for states to clean voter rolls by removing people who have died or moved from the voter registration lists. Another popular reform–supported by 76% of voters– is to requiring all ballots to be received by Election Day.

All three of those reforms are favored by a solid majority of every measured demographic group.

Data released earlier found that 50% believe the top priority for election reform should be making it harder to cheat. Thirty-eight percent (38%) think the focus should be on making it easier to vote.

80% Favor Requiring Photo ID Before Casting a Ballot

Posted on January 17, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Eighty-percent (80%) of voters favor requiring voters to show a photo ID before casting a ballot. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 85% also favor a requirement for states to clean voter rolls by removing people who have died or moved from the voter registration lists. Additionally, 76% favor requiring all ballots to be received by Election Day.

All three reforms are favored by a solid majority of every measured demographic group.

Support for photo ID requirements comes from 91% of Republicans, 77% of Democrats, and 75% of Independent voters.

Eighty-six percent (86%) of White voters favor photo ID requirements along with 71% of Hispanic voters and 65% of Black voters.

On Election Reform, 50% Say Priority is Making it Harder to Cheat; 38% Say Easier to Vote

Posted on January 17, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Eighty-four percent (84%) of voters believe that the goal of election reform should be to create a system where it is “easy to vote and hard to cheat.” A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 10% disagree and 5% are not sure.

While there is broad agreement on the objective, voters are divided on which half of the objective deserves a higher priority at this time. Fifty percent (50%) say making it hard to cheat is the top priority while 38% take the opposite view.

Seventy-three percent (73%) of Republicans think making it harder to cheat is the top goal. Among Democrats, 67% believe the priority should be making it easier to vote. As for Independent voters, 48% say making it harder to cheat is more important while 35% believe reformers should focus on making it easier to vote.

Overall, 33% of voters trust the GOP more than Democrats on election reform while 30% have more trust in Democrats. Twenty percent (20%) don’t trust either party while 12% trust both equally.

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted January 11-12, 2022. The Margin of Sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

57% Favor Making Trump Tax Cuts Permanent; 24% Opposed

Posted on January 11, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

During the Trump administration, Congress passed temporary tax cuts for businesses and families. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of voters favor making the Trump tax cuts permanent. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 24% are oppose and 19% are not sure.

The totals include 31% who Strongly Favor making the tax cuts permanent and 14% who are Strongly Opposed.

Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Republicans favor making the Trump tax cuts permanent. Independent voters, by a 45% to 21% margin, agree. Democrats are evenly divided.

Younger voters are less supportive of tax cuts than their elders. Still, by a 47% to 26% margin, voters under 35 would like to see the Trump tax cuts made permanent.

Support for making the tax cuts permanent is found among 60% of Red State voters, 57% of Purple State voters, and 54% of Blue State voters.

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Note: Neither Scott Rasmussen, ScottRasmussen.com, nor RMG Research, Inc. have any affiliation with Rasmussen Reports. While Scott Rasmussen founded that firm, he left more than seven years ago and has had no involvement since that time.

Question:

During the Trump administration, Congress passed temporary tax cuts for businesses and families. A proposal has been made to make the Trump tax cuts permanent. Do you favor or oppose this proposal?

31% Strongly favor

26% Somewhat favor

10% Somewhat oppose

14% Strongly oppose

19% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,000 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on January 6-7, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 3.1 percentage points.

13% Have Favorable Opinion of Those Who Broke Into Capitol

Posted on January 5, 2022 | by Scott Rasmussen

Thirteen percent (13%) of voters have a favorable opinion of those who broke into the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 77% have an unfavorable view.

Among those who prefer policies advocated by former President Trump, just 19% have a favorable opinion of those who broke into the Capitol. Sixty-one percent (61%) offer an unfavorable view.

Forty-five percent (45%) of voters consider the assault on the Capitol to be a major threat to democracy. That’s unchanged from last June.

However, 64% of voters believe letting government bureaucrats set rules without approval of Congress or voters is a major threat to democracy. That’s up nine points since the June, 2021 survey. The increase may be attributed to concerns about the pandemic response. Forty-seven percent (47%) of voters are now more worried about unnecessary government restrictions than they are about getting COVID.

Thirty-two percent (32%) of voters think it’s Very Likely that democracy in America will end in the next generation or so. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that total includes 11% who believe it has already ended. Republicans are significantly more worried about democracy ending than Democrats.

Additionally, 37% of all voters see Democrats as a bigger threat to democracy than Republicans. Twenty-six percent (26%) see Republicans as the bigger threat while 20% think the two parties represent an equal threat to democracy.

Currently, 57% of voters believe that Joe Biden was legitimately elected president in 2020. That’s little different than the 61% who believe Donald Trump was legitimately elected president in 2016. Just 26% of voters believe the proper winner was declared in each of those elections.

Fifty-five percent (55%) of voters believe activists and politicians in both political parties would steal an election if they could get away with it. Thirty-three percent (33%) disagree.

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Question 1:

Thinking back, do you approve or disapprove of the Trump supporters who broke into the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021?

5% Strongly approve

8% Somewhat approve

14% Somewhat disapprove

63% Strongly disapprove

10% Not sure

Question 2:

Think for a moment about the 74 million people who voted for Donald Trump in 2020. Did most Trump voters support those who occupied the Capitol, or were they opposed to such efforts?

26% Supported

38% Opposed

36% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,000 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on January 3-4, 2022. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 3.1 percentage points.

54% Recognize That Fewer People Are Working Today Than Before the Pandemic; 21% Mistakenly Believe More People are Working

Posted on December 16, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters recognize that fewer Americans are working today than before the pandemic. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 21% mistakenly believe more people are working, 11% say about the same number, and 13% are not sure.

Those totals include 9% who think the number of workers today is “Much Higher” and 26% who say “Much Lower.”

Compared to pre-pandemic totals, there are currently 3.9 million fewer Americans with jobs. In February 2020, 152.5 million Americans were employed. Today, 148.6 million have a job. Those figures may understate the shortfall. The population has grown since the pandemic began, which normally lead to an increase in the number of working Americans.

The highest level of misunderstanding is found among voters with a postgraduate degree. Fifty percent (50%) of them mistakenly believe more people are working today. Just 36% recognize that there are actually fewer workers today. A solid majority of those without a college degree have an accurate perception.

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of Republicans recognize fewer people are working today. So do 58% of Independent voters. Democrats are evenly divided. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of those in President Biden’s party mistakenly believe more people have jobs today; 37% are aware that there are fewer people working today.

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Question:

Immediately prior to the pandemic, 152 million Americans had jobs. Is the number of people with jobs today higher or lower than before the pandemic?

9% Much higher

12% Somewhat higher

11% About the same

28% Somewhat lower

26% Much lower

13% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on December 8-10, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

43% Say Rittenhouse Did Stupid Things, But Is Not a Murderer

Posted on November 24, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-three percent (43%) of voters who have heard of the Rittenhouse trial believe Kyle Rittenhouse did stupid things but is not a murderer. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 25% believe he is a murderer and 13% see him as a hero.

Most Republicans (56%) believe that Rittenhouse did stupid things but is not a murderer. A plurality of Democrats (44%) believe he is a murderer. Among Independent voters, 42% say he did stupid things, 22% say he’s a murderer, and 10% view him as a hero.

Among those who rely upon Fox News, 50% say Rittenhouse did stupid things while 13% see him as a murderer. Those who rely upon CNN are more evenly divided: 37% say he did stupid things and 34% say Rittenhouse is a murderer.

Sixty-five percent (65%) of all voters say they followed news about the trial closely. That includes 27% who followed it Very Closely. At the other extreme, 6% had never heard of the trial and 9% weren’t following it at all.

Among those who had heard of the case, 74% knew that Rittenhouse had been found not guilty of all charges.

People who understood the facts of the case were more likely than others to see Rittenhouse as someone who did stupid things rather than as a murderer. For example, those who mistakenly believe he shot three Black men were evenly divided between whether he was a murderer or someone who did stupid things.

However, among those who knew the shooting victims were not Black, most (54%) believe he did stupid things but was not a murderer. Just 22% of those who knew the reality saw him as a murderer.

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Question 1:

How closely have you followed recent news stories about the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse?

27% Very closely

38% Somewhat closely

17% Not very closely

9% Not at all

6% Never heard of it

2% Not sure

Question 2:

[Asked of those who had heard of the trial] Which of the following best describes the result of the trial?

8% Rittenhouse was found guilty of murder.

74% Rittenhouse was found not guilty of all charges against him.

6% Rittenhouse was found guilty on some of the charges, but not all of them.

12% Not sure

Question 3:

[Asked of those who had heard of the trial] Do you agree or disagree with the outcome of the trial?

34% Strongly agree

22% Somewhat agree

9% Somewhat disagree

18% Strongly disagree

17% Not sure

Question 4:

[Asked of those who had heard of the trial] Which of the following best describes your view of Kyle Rittenhouse?

25% He’s a murderer

13% He’s a hero

43% He made stupid decisions but is not a murderer

20% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on November 22-23, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

50% Say U.S. Should Slow Transition to Electric Vehicles Until Needed Batteries Can Be Produced In Our Own Country

Posted on November 22, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty percent (50%) of voters believe that the United States should slow down the transition to electric vehicles until we have the ability produce the needed batteries in our own country. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that another 16% believe the United States should never transition to electric vehicles.

Only 26% believe the U.S. should transition to electric vehicles as quickly as possible.

Underlying those attitudes is concern about the fact that China is the world’s largest producer of batteries needed for electric vehicles. As America makes the transition to electric cars, 66% of voters are worried that we might be dependent upon China for those batteries. Twenty-six percent (26%) are not worried and 9% are not sure.

Those totals include 34% who are Very Worried and 9% who are Not at All worried.

These attitudes come amidst growing voter concern about China.

Sixty-three percent (63%) of voters believe the Chinese Government and Chinese Communist Party are a serious threat to the United States. Just 17% disagree and 20% are not sure.
Seventy-three percent (73%) consider it likely that the Chinese government actively covered up its role in the release of the coronavirus.
Sixty-six percent (66%) favor prohibiting the Chinese Government, the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese citizens from purchasing agricultural land located in the United States.
Sixty-two percent (62%) believe it should be against the law for former Members of Congress to lobby on behalf of communist countries.
Sixty-five percent (65%) favor prohibiting the U.S. government from entering into contracts with any entity that relies upon the use of forced labor in China.
Sixty-two percent (62%) believe it should be against the law for companies in the U.S. to purchase or sell any products made by forced labor in Chinese detention camps.

Beyond concerns about China as a threat to our nation, 66% believe it is important for the United States to hold China accountable for its abuse of the Uyghur Muslims. A broader question found that 80% of voters think it is important for the United States to hold China accountable for its use of slave labor and other human rights violations.

Fifty-eight percent (58%) believe the U.S. system of politics and government is morally superior to China’s. Just 16% disagree.

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Question 1:

China is the world’s largest producer of batteries needed for electric vehicles. As America makes the transition to electric cars, how worried are you that we might be dependent upon China for batteries?

34% Very worried

32% Somewhat worried

17 Not very worried

9% Not at all worried

9% Not sure

Question 2:

Which of the following is closest to your view?

26% The United States should transition to electric vehicles as quickly as possible

50% The United States should slow down the transition to electric vehicles until we have the ability produce the needed batteries in our own country

16% The United States should never transition to electric vehicles

8% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on November 17-18, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

66% Favor Banning China From Purchasing U.S. Agricultural Land

Posted on November 22, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixty-six percent (66%) of voters favor prohibiting the Chinese Government, the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese citizens from purchasing agricultural land located in the United States. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 18% are opposed and 15% are not sure.

The totals include 44% who Strongly Favor the ban and 7% who are Strongly Opposed.

By a 56% to 24% margin, voters also favor prohibiting federal funding for universities that partner on research projects with the People’s Republic of China.

Those totals include 33% who Strongly Favor the proposal and 10% who are Strongly Opposed.

Finally, 62% believe it should be against the law for former Members of Congress to lobby on behalf of communist countries. Just 13% disagree.

An earlier survey found that 65% of voters favor prohibiting the U.S. government from entering into contracts with any entity the relies upon the use of forced labor in China. Sixty-two percent (62%) believe it should be against the law for companies in the U.S. to purchase or sell any products made by forced labor in Chinese detention camps.

Other data showed that 66% of voters believe it is important for the United States to hold China accountable for its abuse of the Uyghur Muslims. A broader question found that 80% of voters think it is important for the United States to hold China accountable for its use of slave labor and other human rights violations.

Fifty-eight percent (58%) believe the U.S. system of politics and government is morally superior to China’s. Just 16% disagree.

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Question 1:

Should it be against the law for former Members of Congress to lobby on behalf of communist countries?

62% Yes

13% No

25% Not sure

Question 2:

A proposal has been made that would prohibit the Chinese Government, the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese citizens from purchasing agricultural land located in the United States. Do you favor or oppose this proposal?

44% Strongly favor

22% Somewhat favor

11% Somewhat oppose

7% Strongly oppose

15% Not sure

Question 3:

Another proposal has been made that would prohibit federal funding for universities that partner on research projects with the People’s Republic of China. Do you favor or oppose this proposal?

33% Strongly favor

23% Somewhat favor

14% Somewhat oppose

10% Strongly oppose

20% Not sure

Methodology

Election Night Poll: Virginia Voters Believe America Founded on Noble Ideals; Students Should Use Bathroom of Their Biological Gender

Posted on November 3, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

On Election Night, November 2, Scott Rasmussen conducted a survey of 500 Virginia voters. Highlights from the survey are summarized below:

81% of Virginia voters believe photo IDs should be required for voting. That includes 94% of Youngkin voters and 66% of McAuliffe voters
57% of Virginia voters believe high school students should be required to use the bathroom of their biological gender while 33% disagree. 80% of Younkin voters believe students should be required to follow their biological gender. By a 54% to 34% margin, McAuliffe voters believe students should be allowed to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with.
49% of Virginia voters believe it is possible to support the policies of former President Trump without supporting Donald Trump himself; 39% disagree.
71% of Youngkin voters believe you can support Trump policies without supporting Trump. 61% of McAuliffe voters disagree.
34% of voters in the state have relatives or close friends who will get vaccinated against their will because they don’t want to lose their job. They voted for Youngkin by a 58% to 41% margin.
83% of Virginia voters agree that “America was founded on the ideals of freedom, equality, and self-governance. Our nation has a tragic history of racial injustice, but we have made and continue to make progress.” That includes 84% of Youngkin voters and 82% or McAuliffe voters.
Just 53% believe Virginia’s public schools are teaching students that America was founded on the ideals of freedom and equality. 29% believe students are being taught that America was founded upon the ideas of racism and white supremacy.
14% believe America was founded on noble ideals but students are being taught it was founded on racism. They voted for Youngkin by a 74% to 25% margin
A majority (58%) of those who believe that America was founded on racism also believe that students are being taught it was founded on noble ideals. These voters supported McAuliffe by a 71% t0 28% margin.
Top issues for Youngkin voters: Education, Immigration, Inflation and the economy.
Top issues for McAuliffe voters: COVID, Education, Inflation and the economy.
77% were confident that the votes would be accurately counted and the correct winner declared. That included 63% of Youngkin voters and 92% of McAuliffe voters.
29% of Virginia voters believe the economy is getting better, 52% said worse.
79% have experienced sharp price increases.
69% have experienced backorders, delays, or shortages of items they would like to buy.

The survey has a margin of sampling error of +/- 4.5 percentage points.

60% Oppose Payment to Illegal Immigrants in Build Back Better Plan; 28% Support

Posted on October 21, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

The Build Back Better plan includes more than $10 billion in payments to illegal immigrants. Twenty-eight percent (28%) of voters favor that provision while 60% are opposed.

Those totals include 12% who Strongly Favor the payments while 43% are Strongly Opposed.

The strongest backers of the president’s plan support the payments to illegal immigrants by a 3-to-1 margin. However, among the less committed voters who Somewhat Favor the president’s plan, a majority (52%) are opposed to this provision.

Not surprisingly, those who oppose the Build Back Better plan also strongly oppose the payments to illegal immigrants. Additionally, among those who have never heard of the president’s plan, 70% oppose the payments to illegal immigrants.

Overall, 83% of Republicans oppose the payments while 53% of Democrats favor them. Among Independent voters, 19% support this provision and 70% are opposed.

The payments are supported by 52% of Urban voters, 25% of Suburban voters, and 21% of Rural voters.

Fifty-two percent (52%) of Hispanic voters favor this provision of the Build Back Better plan. So do 46% of Black voters. However, 68% of White voters are opposed.

Just 38% of voters approve of the way President Biden is handling the issues of government spending and taxes. Fifty-one percent (51%) disapprove.

His plan–called the Big Government Socialism bill by Republicans–includes some popular provisions but many other that are problematic for voters.

The plan calls for vastly expanding the level of personal banking information reported to the IRS. However, 72% of voters think the IRS already collects too much personal information that should remain private. Rather than giving the IRS more access, these voters believe that more privacy protections are needed.
To receive federal benefits, 78% think those who are able should be required to work. The president’s plan opposes such work requirements.
Another provision would provide tax credits of up to $50,000 for print journalists. Just 19% of voters favor that provision.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,000 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on October 18-20, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 3.1percentage points.

72% Believe IRS Already Collects Too Much Information; Think More Privacy Protections Are Required

Posted on October 21, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Seventy-two percent (72%) of voters think the IRS collects too much personal information that should remain private and that more privacy protections are needed. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 16% disagree and 12% are not sure.

Those totals include 41% who Strongly Agree that more privacy protections are needed and 4% who Strongly Disagree.

Eighty-one percent (81%) of Republicans think more protections are needed. So do 68% of Democrats and 64% of Independents.

President Biden’s Build Back Better proposal currently includes provisions that would give the IRS more access to personal and business financial information. Seventy-two percent (72%) of voters believe that some agents or political leaders would use additional information to harm political opponents. On that question, 14% disagree and 15% are not sure.

The desire for more privacy protection is found across the board. Among those who Strongly Favor the president’s plan, 62% believe the IRS already collects too much information. Among those who Somewhat Favor the Build Back Better plan, 72% believe additional privacy protections are needed.

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Question 1:

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) collects too much personal information that should remain private. We need to put more privacy protections in place.”

41% Strongly agree

31% Somewhat agree

12% Somewhat disagree

4% Strongly disagree

12% Not sure

Question 2:

Suppose the IRS had access to more personal information. How likely is it that some agents or political leaders would use that information to harm political opponents?

42% Very likely

30% Somewhat likely

9% Not very likely

5% Not at all likely

15% Not sure

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 3.1percentage points.

77% Have Recently Experienced Sharp Price Increases While Shopping

Posted on October 17, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of voters have recently experienced sharp increases in the cost of items they would like to buy. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 17% have not noticed such increases and 7% are not sure.

Sharp price increases have been felt by 87% of Republicans, 72% of Democrats, and 71% of Independent voters.

Data released earlier showed that 63% of voters have personally experienced supply chain problems.

Just 45% of voters approve of the way President Biden is handling economic issues. Forty-nine percent (49%) disapprove.

Only 38% approve of the way he is handling issues related to taxes and government spending. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of voters believe that increasing government spending leads to inflation.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on October 11-13, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Voters Say 44 cents of Every Dollar Spent By Federal Government is Wasted

Posted on October 14, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

On average, American voters currently believe that 44 cents out of every dollar spent by the federal government is wasted. That result comes from a Scott Rasmussen national survey of 1,200 Registered Voters conducted October 6-9, 2021.

This result is consistent with a long history of survey data compiled by Gallup. Since 1979, voters have estimated that anywhere from 38 to 51 cents out of every federal dollar is wasted.

The lowest levels of estimated waste were found during Ronald Reagan’s Administration in the 1980s.

58% See Federal Government As Threat to Freedom and Liberty; 24% Disagree

Posted on October 2, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of voters believe that the federal government today is a threat to the freedom and liberty of individual Americans. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 24% disagree and 19% are not sure.

Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans see the federal government as a threat to freedom and liberty. So do 54% of Independent voters and 46% of Democrats.

Seventy-one percent (71%) of Hispanic voters see the government as a threat to freedom and liberty. In response to the proposed federal vaccine mandate, an earlier survey found that 60% of Hispanic voters know someone who will get vaccinated against their will.

Sixty-one percent (61%) of White voters see the federal government as a threat to freedom and liberty. So do 40% of Black voters.

Among voters who prefer policies like those of former President Trump, 78% see the federal government as a threat.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on September 8, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Voters Say Highest Loyalty Owed to Family & Faith Rather Than Government

Posted on October 2, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

In the event of conflicts, 45% of voters say their highest loyalty is to family. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 20% said their highest loyalty goes to their faith or religion while 18% said it’s to themselves.

Twelve percent (12%) place the federal government as tops, 3% say their state government, and 2% their employer.

As on many issues, those with a postgraduate degree have a decidedly different perspective. Among voters with such high levels of formal education, 32% name family as their top priority followed closely by the federal government.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

30% Believe Political Leaders Should Be Paid More Than Corporate CEOs

Posted on October 2, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Thirty percent (30%) of voters believe that the president, members of Congress, and top government officials run the country should be paid more than corporate CEOs. A Scott Rasmussen survey found that 57% disagree and 13% are not sure.

Those totals include 13% who Strongly Agree and 39% who Strongly Disagree.

A modest plurality of Democrats (48%) believe government officials should be paid more than corporate CEOs. However, 68% of Republicans and 62% of Independent voters disagree. The partisan differences likely reflect a fundamentally different understanding of government’s role in society.

There is also a substantial divide along educational lines. Most voters with a postgraduate degree (55%) believe government officials should be paid more than corporate CEOs. Among all other voters, that view is rejected by a 60% to 26% margin.

The question began with a potentially misleading statement that may have impacted the results: “Since the president, members of Congress, and top government officials run the country…” In reality, those political leaders are responsible for running the government rather than the country.

Survey data over the years has consistently shown that voters believe positive change in America generally comes from outside the political system. When it comes to making important decisions about the nation’s future, 61% of voters trust everyday Americans more than government leaders. Just 19% place more trust in government leaders while 21% are not sure.

Additionally, when the federal government tries to manage the economy, 68% of voters believe it generally does more harm than good.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

61% Believe Political Reporters Generally Report Their Team’s Talking Points Rather Than Facts

Posted on October 2, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixty-one percent (61%) of voters believe that political reporters focus more on presenting the talking points favored by their political party rather than presenting the facts of a situation. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 25% believe political reporters focus primarily on the facts and 15% are not sure.

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Republicans believe reporters focus mostly on delivering their party’s talking points. Independents agree by a 63% to 17% margin.

However, Democrats are evenly divided: 42% say political reporters generally present the facts while 43% believe they focus more on talking points.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Scott Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from September 2-5, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Most respondents were contacted online or via text while 151 were contacted using automated phone polling techniques. Online respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

80% Say It’s Important to Hold China Accountable For Use of Slave Labor and Other Human Rights Violations

Posted on September 30, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Eighty percent (80%) of voters think it is important for the United States to hold China accountable for its use of slave labor and other human rights violations. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that just 11% disagree and 10% are not sure.

Those totals include 50% who believe it is Very Important to hold China accountable for human rights abuses and 4% who say it is Not at All Important.

Additionally, 60% believe it is important to hold China accountable for the spread of COVID-19. On that question, 26% disagree and 14% are not sure.

Conservative and moderate voters tend to believe that it’s important to hold China accountable for the spread of COVID-19. Liberal voters are more evenly divided.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on September 24-25, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

73% Oppose Plan Requiring Banks to Notify IRS of All Personal Transactions Over $600

Posted on September 29, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

A proposal has been made that would require banks to notify the IRS of every transaction of $600 or more made by every American. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that just 18% of voters favor this plan while 73% are opposed.

Those totals include 6% who Strongly Favor the plan and 59% who are Strongly Opposed.

This effort to give IRS more access to personal financial information is opposed by 86% of Republicans, 71% of Independents, and 62% of Democrats.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Biden: 45% Approve; Strong Approval at 18%, Down 7 Over Past Week

Posted on September 29, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-five percent (45%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. That’s down three points from a week ago. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 48% disapprove and 6% are not sure.

Just 18% of voters Strongly Approve of the president’s performance, down seven points from a week ago and the lowest level yet measured. Thirty-four percent (34%)Strongly Disapprove.

Sixty-seven percent (67%) of voters consider the situation at the border to be a crisis and just 22% say Biden has done a good or excellent job dealing with it.

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of voters disapprove of the president’s decision to remove American troops from Afghanistan before all Americans were evacuated. Twenty-one percent (21%) give the president good marks for handling that withdrawal.

On the legislative front, voters are evenly divided when given a choice between passing or rejecting both the bi-partisan infrastructure legislation and the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package: 40% would prefer to pass both bills while 38% would like to see both rejected. Voters are also evenly divided as to whether Biden’s policies are good or bad for the middle class.

The two spending bills include some popular provisions but 77% of voters expect the final package will also include “Inappropriate” provisions inserted by lobbyists.

One such provision would provide tax credits of up to $50,000 for print journalists. Just 19% of voters favor that provision.
Another provision that may be included would require banks to notify the IRS of every transaction of $600 or more made by every American. Just 18% like that idea while 73% are opposed.

Voters also overwhelmingly believe that higher corporate tax rates will lead to higher prices for consumers.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

42% Say Biden Policies Good for the Middle Class; 39% Say Bad

Posted on September 28, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-two percent (42%) of voters believe President Biden’s policies are good for middle class Americans while 39% say they are bad.

Not surprisingly, a Scott Rasmussen national survey found a huge partisan divide. Seventy-four percent (74%) of Democrats believe Biden’s policies are good for the middle class while 69% of Republicans take the opposite view. Among Independents, 31% say the policies are good for the middle class while 35% say bad.

It is interesting to note that upper income Americans are far more likely than others to see Biden’s policies as good for the middle class.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on September 22, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

21% Approve of Biden’s Handling of Afghanistan Withdrawal

Posted on September 28, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Twenty-one percent (21%) of voters give President Biden good or excellent marks for handling the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that figure is down ten points from the beginning of September.

Just 42% of Democrats now say the president did a good or excellent job. That’s down 18 points from the beginning of the month.

Only 13% of Independents and 7% of Republicans give the president such positive reviews on handing the withdrawal.

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of voters disapprove of the president’s decision to remove American troops from Afghanistan before all Americans were evacuated. That’s up four points from earlier in the month. Only 33% even somewhat approve of the president’s decision.

Seventy-four percent (74%) think it’s likely that Americans left behind in Afghanistan will eventually be discovered by the Taliban and tortured or killed.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

67% Say Situation at Southern Border a Crisis; 22% Give Biden Good Marks for Dealing With It

Posted on September 28, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixty-seven percent (67%) of voters believe the situation at the Southern border is a crisis. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that just 17% disagree.

At the same time, just 22% think the Biden Administration is doing a good or excellent job dealing with the situation. That’s down nine points since August and 14 points from 36% in late May.

Forty-two percent (42%) of Democrats give the Biden team good marks. Just 13% of Independent voters and 9% of Republicans agree.

Overall, 44% of voters are at least somewhat confident in the ability of the Biden Administration to keep America safe. Forty-eight percent (48%) are not.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

19% Favor Reconciliation Tax Credit for Journalists; 54% Oppose

Posted on September 28, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Nineteen percent (19%) of voters favor a proposal providing a tax credit of up to $50,000 for print and online journalists. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 54% are opposed and 27% are not sure.

The proposal is part of the reconciliation package being considered by Congress. Just 6% Strongly Favor the idea and 36% are Strongly Opposed.

The proposal is at least somewhat supported by 30% of Democrats, 18% of Independents, and 10% of Republicans.

Those who favor policies like those of Senator Bernie Sanders like policies are evenly divided: 35% favor the tax credit and 36% are opposed. Those who prefer more traditional Democratic policies are opposed by a 2-to-1 margin.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

76% Believe Raising Corporate Taxes Will Raise Prices for Consumers

Posted on September 25, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

If the federal government raises taxes on large corporations, 76% of voters think it is likely that consumers will end up paying higher prices. A Scott Rasmussen national survey also found that 73% believe such tax hikes will cause some companies to take jobs overseas.

Eighty-five percent (85%) of Republicans believe higher corporate taxes will lead to higher costs. S0 do 76% of Democrats and 68% of Independents.

Data released earlier showed that 61% of voters expect the Biden Administration to raise middle class taxes.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

77% Expect Reconciliation Bill Will Include “Inappropriate” Provisions Inserted by Lobbyists

Posted on September 25, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of voters expect that the reconciliation bill will include inappropriate provisions inserted by lobbyists. A Scott Rasmussen national survey also found that 80% think it’s likely that some Members of Congress would insert special favors for their donors that couldn’t pass if others knew about them.

Those fears help explain why 81% of voters believe Congress needs time to read the bill before voting. A solid majority of voters think Congress should have at least a week to review the legislation before voting.

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* If Congress is not given time to review the final bill, how likely is it that the reconciliation bill will include inappropriate provisions inserted by lobbyists?

52% Very likely

25% Somewhat likely

7% Not very likely

3% Not at all likely

12% Not sure

* Okay… if Congress is not given time to review the final bill, how likely is it that some Members of Congress would insert special favors for their donors that couldn’t pass if others knew about them?

53% Very likely

27% Somewhat likely

7% Not very likely

3% Not at all likely

10% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Scott Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from September 16-18, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Most respondents were contacted online or via text while 263 were contacted using automated phone polling techniques. Online respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

78% Favor Work Requirements For Those Receiving Government Benefits

Posted on September 24, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

If someone is physically able to work, 78% of voters believe they should be required to seek a job in order to receive financial support from the government. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 13% disagree and 9% are not sure.

A solid majority of every measured demographic group supports the work requirement. That includes 86% of Republicans, 76% of Independents, and 73% of Democrats.

Overall, 54% Strongly Favor work requirements and 4% are Strongly Opposed.

Earlier this year, the Biden Administration removed work requirements for the Child Care Tax Credit. Sixty-six percent (66%) of voters favor restoring the work requirement for all who are physically able to work. Twenty-four percent (24%) are opposed.

Restoring the work requirement is favored by a majority of every measured demographic group. That includes 75% of Republicans, 65% of Democrats, and 57% of Independents.

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* If someone is physically able to work, do you favor or oppose requiring that they seek a job in order to receive financial support from the government?

54% Strongly favor

24% Somewhat favor

9% Somewhat oppose

4% Strongly oppose

9% Not sure

* Until this year, parents had to have income from a job to qualify for the Child Tax Credit. The Biden administration did away with the work requirement. Do you favor or oppose restoring the work requirement for all who are physically able to work?

44% Strongly favor

22% Somewhat favor

14% Somewhat oppose

10% Strongly oppose

10% Not sure

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

50% Believe Things Would Be Better Today If Trump Had Won; 39% Say Worse

Posted on September 22, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty percent (50%) of voters believe things would be better today if Donald Trump had won the 2020 presidential election. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 39% believe things would be worse and 12% who don’t think things would be all that different.

The total includes 34% who say things would be much better and 29% who say much worse.

Eighty-five percent (85%) of Republicans believe things would be better while 68% of Democrats hold the opposite view. Among Independents, 43% say better and 39% worse.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of White voters believe things would be better if Trump had won. So do 53% of Hispanic voters and 26% of Black voters.

These results may highlight some challenges resulting from President Biden’s call for a vaccine mandate. While the proposal is modestly popular overall, 26% of Black Democrats believe individuals should decide for themselves whether to get vaccinated. Additionally, 60% of Hispanic voters have a close friend or relative who will get vaccinated against their will because they can’t afford to lose their job.

President Biden has gotten very low marks for handling the situation at the southern border of the United States. On a related national security topic, most voters disapprove of the president’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan before all Americans were evacuated.

Overall, a plurality of voters would prefer a candidate who supports Trump-like policies.

President Biden has had a challenging few months and his job approval ratings have slipped.

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* Suppose that Donald Trump had won the 2020 election. Would things today be better, worse, or about the same?

34% Much better

16% Somewhat better

10% Somewhat worse

29% Much worse

6% About the same

6% Not sure

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

60% Think US Gov’t Could Go Bankrupt Within 10-15 Years

Posted on September 22, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixty percent (60%) of Registered Voters believe it is at least somewhat likely that the U.S. government will go bankrupt in the next 10-15 years. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 30% believe bankruptcy is unlikely and 11% are not sure.

The totals include 33% who consider the government going bankrupt to be Very Likely. At the other extreme, 12% say it is Not at All Likely.

Seventy-eight percent (78%) of Republicans consider the government going bankrupt to be at least somewhat likely. That view is shared by 57% of Independent voters and 53% or Democrats.

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* How likely is it that the United States government will go bankrupt within the next 10-15 years?

33% Very likely

27% Somewhat likely

18% Not very likely

12% Not at all likely

11% Not sure

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

81% Think Congress Needs Time to Read the Reconciliation Bill Before Voting; Solid Majority Believes at Least a Week Should Be Provided

Posted on September 21, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Eighty-one percent (81%) of voters believe Members of Congress should be given time to read the reconciliation bill before voting on it. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that just 8% disagree and 11% are not sure.

Among those who believe members should have time to read the bill, 76% think at least a week should be allowed. Fourteen percent (14%) believe 72-hours should be sufficient while 7% think 24-hours is long enough.

The legislation is currently being drafted. The final document is likely to be thousands of pages long.

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* Congress is considering a “reconciliation plan” that would increase federal spending by $3.5 trillion. The bill has not been finalized, but it could be thousands of pages. When it is complete, should Members of Congress be given time to review the bill before voting on it?

81% Yes

8% No

11% Not sure

* [If yes to prior question] How much time should Members of Congress be given to review the final reconciliation bill before voting?

7% 24 hours

14% 3 days

29% A week

20% Two weeks

27% More than two weeks

4% Not sure

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Biden Job Approval Stabilizes: 48% Approve, 48% Disapprove

Posted on September 20, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 48% disapprove and 4% are not sure. That’s essentially unchanged from a week ago.

Those totals include 25% who Strongly Approve and 35% who Strongly Disapprove.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters at least somewhat favor the president’s vaccination mandate order. At the same time, however, 54% of voters nationwide believe vaccine requirements should be determined in the private sector.

How can a majority think decisions should be made in the private sector at the same time a majority supports Biden’s top-down approach?

It turns out that just 36% of those who favor the president’s plan believe the federal government should make such decisions. Another 20% of those who support the president’s mandate believe the decision should be made at the state or local level. At the same time, 27% believe the decision should be made either by individual companies or workers.

These results suggest that support for the president’s plan is driven more by partisan loyalty rather than the plan itself.

Adding to the softness of support for the president’s vaccine mandate is the fact that just 33% of voters believe he has the legal authority to order private companies to impose a vaccine requirement. Even among those who favor the plan, just over half (54%) believe Biden has the legal authority to impose it.

Related data shows that 39% of voters have relatives or close friends who will get vaccinated against their will because they don’t want to lose their job. That total includes 60% of Hispanic voters.

Additionally, 66% of voters are close to resuming their normal life in terms of going out socially, traveling, and interacting with others in person.

Still, pessimism about the pandemic remains high. Just 28%believe the worst is behind us. Forty-five percent (45%) believe the worst is yet to come. That matches the most pessimistic assessment since the vaccines rolled out in January.

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

54% Believe Vaccine Requirements Should Be Decided in the Private Sector; 36% Want Government to Set the Guidelines

Posted on September 20, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters nationwide believe vaccine requirements should be determined in the private sector. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 36% disagree and believe governments should establish the guidelines.

Those totals include 30% who believe individual companies should set the rules for their workforce and 24% who think the decision should be left up to individual workers. On the other hand, 21% believe the federal government should decide and 15% think the rules should be set by state and local governments.

Republicans, by a 65% to 28% margin believe that companies or workers should decide for themselves. Independent voters, by a 58% to 26% margin agree. Most Democrats, however, see it differently. By a 54% to 39% margin, those in President Biden’s party believe believe governments at some level should set the rules.

As on many issues, there is a significant divide between the views of White Democrats and Black Democrats. Twenty-six percent (26%) of Black Democrats believe individual workers should decide for themselves. Just 9% of White Democrats share that view.

These results are especially interesting because the same survey found that 54% of voters at least somewhat favor the president’s mandate order. How can a majority think decisions should be made in the private sector at the same time a majority supports Biden’s top-down approach?

On the flip side, those who disapprove of the president’s policy, 81% believe the decision should be made by individual companies or workers.

These results suggest support for the president’s plan is driven more by partisan loyalty rather than the plan itself.

Adding to the softness of support for the president’s vaccine mandate is the fact that just 33% of voters believe the president has the legal authority to order private companies to impose a vaccine requirement. Even among those who favor the plan, just over half (54%) believe Biden has the legal authority to impose it.

Additionally, 66% of voters are close to resuming their normal life in terms of going out socially, traveling, and interacting with others in person.

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* How closely have you followed recent news stories about President Biden’s new vaccine mandates?

33% Very closely

37% Somewhat closely

17% Not very closely

10% Not at all closely

4% Not sure

* Who should make the decision as to whether a company requires all employees to receive the COVID vaccine?

21% The federal government

15% State and local governments

30% Individual companies

24% Individual workers

10% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on September 14-15, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

39% of Voters Have Relatives or Close Friends Who Will Get Vaccinated Against Their Will Because They Don’t Want to Lose Their Job

Posted on September 19, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Thirty-nine percent (39%) of voters have relatives or close friends who will get vaccinated against their will because they don’t want to lose their job. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 32% do not and 29% are not sure.

Forty-three percent (43%) of Democrats know someone who will get vaccinated against their will. So do 38% of Republicans and 36% of Independents.

Sixty percent (60%) of Hispanic voters know someone who will get vaccinated against their will. That figure is 38% among White voters and 34% among Black voters.

The survey also found that 36% have relatives or close friends who will quit their job rather than get vaccinated. Forty-two percent (42%) do not while 23% are not sure.

The partisan and racial dynamics are essentially the same on that question.

Forty-five percent (45%) of voters know someone in both categories: those who will quit rather than get vaccinated and those who will get vaccinated against their will.

Data released earlier shows that just 33% of voters believe the president has the legal authority to order private companies to impose a vaccine requirement. Despite that, 54% at least somewhat favor the president’s mandate order.

Other data shows that 66% of voters are close to resuming their normal life in terms of going out socially, traveling, and interacting with others in person. If they tested positive for COVID, 68% believe it is likely they would recover quickly with only minor symptoms.

* Do you have any relatives or close friends who will quit their job rather than get vaccinated?

36% Yes

42% No

23% Not sure

* Okay, do you have any relatives or close friends who will get vaccinated against their will because they don’t want to lose their job?

39% Yes

32% No

29% Not sure

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Given a Choice, 40% Want Both Infrastructure and Reconciliation Bills to Pass; 38% Want Both to Be Rejected

Posted on September 19, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Voters are evenly divided when given a choice between passing both the bi-partisan infrastructure legislation and the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 40% of Registered Voters nationwide would prefer to pass both bills while 38% would like to see both rejected.

Among those most motivated to vote in the midterm elections, 42% would like both bills to pass and 43% would prefer that both fail.

Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Democrats would like both bills to pass while 62% of Republicans want both to be rejected. Among Independent voters, 31% want both to pass and 38% don’t want either to pass.

Individually, a plurality of voters support both pieces of legislation. By a 46% to 27% margin, voters would like to see the House pass the Senate-approved infrastructure plan. By a narrower 47% to 40% margin, voters tend to favor the reconciliation bill as well.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Scott Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from September 10-11, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Most respondents were contacted online or via text while 239 were contacted using automated phone polling techniques. Online respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

33% Believe President Has Legal Authority to Order Vaccine Mandates

Posted on September 19, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Thirty-three percent (33%) of voters believe the president has the legal authority to order private companies to impose a vaccine requirement. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 45% disagree and 22% are not sure.

Fifty-five percent (55%) of Democrats believe the president has such authority. Sixty-four percent (64%) of Republicans say he does not. Among Independent voters, 23% believe the president has the authority and 48% do not.

Despite the fact that only 33% believe the president has the legal authority to act, 54% at least somewhat favor the president’s mandate order. Thirty-seven percent (37%) are opposed.

Eighty-two percent (82%) of Democrats favor the president’s action while 57% of Republicans disagree. Independent voters are evenly divided.

Data released earlier showed that 66% of voters are close to resuming their normal life in terms of going out socially, traveling, and interacting with others in person. If they tested positive for COVID, 68% believe it is likely they would recover quickly with only minor symptoms.

* Is the worst of the pandemic behind us, or is it still to come?

28% Behind us

45% Still to Come

27% Not Sure

* For all companies with more than 100 employees, President Biden has mandated that they must require their workers to be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing. Do you favor or oppose this proposal?

32% Strongly favor

22% Somewhat favor

12% Somewhat oppose

25% Strongly oppose

9% Not sure

* Regardless of whether you favor or oppose the vaccine mandates, does the president have the legal authority to order private companies to impose a vaccine requirement?

33% Yes

45% No

22% Not sure

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

66% Close to Resuming Normal Life

Posted on September 18, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Two-thirds (66%) of voters are close to resuming their normal life in terms of going out socially, traveling, and interacting with others in person. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 30% say they are not close to resuming their normal life and 5% are not sure.

Those totals include 29% who are Very Close to resuming their normal life and 8% who are Not at All close.

Seventy percent (70%) of White voters are close to resuming their normal life. So are 68% of Hispanic voters and 53% of Black voters.

Among those who Strongly Approve of President Biden’s vaccine mandate orders, 56% are close to a normal life. However, among those who Strongly Opposed to the Biden plan, 79% are close to a normal life.

If they tested positive for COVID, 68% believe it is likely they would recover quickly with only minor symptoms. Seventeen percent (17%) consider it unlikely while 15% are not sure.

Those totals include 34% who say a quick recovery is Very Likely while 5% say it’s Not at All Likely.

Twenty-eight percent (28%) of voters now believe the worst of the pandemic is behind us. Forty-five percent (45%) believe the worst is yet to come. Those numbers are down slightly from a month ago and match the most pessimistic assessment since the vaccines rolled out in January.

* Is the worst of the pandemic behind us, or is it still to come?

28% Behind us

45% Still to come

27% Not sure

* Some people have generally resumed their life and go out socially, travel, and interact with others in person. How close are you to resuming a somewhat normal life?

29% Very close

37% Somewhat close

22% Not very close

8% Not at all close

5% Not sure

* If you tested positive for COVID, how likely is it that you would recover quickly with only minor symptoms?

34% Very likely

34% Somewhat likely

12% Not very likely

5% Not at all likely

15% Not sure

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

On Important National Decisions, 61% Trust Everyday Americans More Than Government Officials; 19% Place Faith in Government Leaders

Posted on September 18, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

When it comes to making important decisions about the nation’s future, 61% of voters trust everyday Americans more than government leaders. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that just 19% place more trust in government leaders while 21% are not sure.

Those with a postgraduate degree are evenly divided: 43% trust government officials more while 42% trust everyday Americans. Among every other measured demographic group, a plurality or majority has more faith in everyday Americans.

Hispanic voters, by a narrow 44% to 36% margin, place more trust in everyday Americans. Black voters do the same by a 47% to 20% margin. Among White voters, 66% place more trust in everyday Americans while just 16% are more comfortable with government leaders making the decisions.

Thirty percent (30%) of urban voters place more trust in government leaders. That view is shared by 18% of suburban voters and 11% of rural voters.

Data released earlier showed that, when the federal government tries to manage the economy, 68% of voters believe it generally does more harm than good. On that, just 20% disagree and 12% are not sure.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

68% Believe Fed Gov’t Efforts to Manage Economy Generally Do More Harm Than Good

Posted on September 17, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

When the federal government tries to manage the economy, 68% of voters believe it generally does more harm than good. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 20% disagree and 12% are not sure.

Those totals include 37% who Strongly Agree and 6% who Strongly Disagree.

That belief is shared by 82% of Republicans, 65% of Independents, and 60% of Democrats.

Seventy-one percent (71%) of Hispanic voters believe government efforts to manage the economy generally do more harm than good. So do 69% of White voters and 62% of Black voters.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

48% Say Gov’t Regulation of Small Business Too Strict, 11% Say Not Strict Enough; Different Story for Big Business

Posted on September 14, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters believe government regulations on small businesses are too strict. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 11% believe they are not strict enough while 24% believe the level of regulation is about right.

However, perceptions are much different when it comes to regulating big businesses. Forty percent (40%) say regulation of big businesses is not strict enough. Just 23% think they are too strict while 20% say about right.

There is a substantial gender gap on this topic. By a 46% to 15% margin, women believe that regulations on big businesses are not strict enough. Men are evenly divided between too strict and not strict enough.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of men believe the regulations on small businesses are too strict. Forty-two percent (42%) of women agree.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

76% Say Taxes in America Are Too High; 9% Say Too Low

Posted on September 14, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Seventy-six percent (76%) of voters believe taxes in America are currently too high. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 9% believe they are too low and 8% think they’re about right.

These totals include 39% who believe taxes are Much Too High and 3% who believe they are Much Too Low.

The belief that taxes are too high is strongly shared across all measured demographic groups. Seventy-seven percent (77%) of men hold that view as do 75% of women. So do 77% of rural residents, 76% of suburban residents, and 74% of urban residents. Among those who earn less than $100,000 a year, 77% believe taxes are too high. Among those with higher incomes, that figure is 74%.

Politically, 87% of Republicans believe taxes are too high. So do 71% of Independent voters and 69% of Democrats.

The highest level of belief that taxes are too low was found among voters who prefer policies like those of Senator Bernie Sanders. However, even among Sanders’ voters, 67% believe taxes are too high and just 18% believe they are too low.

Democrats in Congress say they are focused on higher taxes only for the rich, but voters are skeptical. After being reminded that President Biden has promised not to raise taxes on anyone earning less than $400,000 a year, 61% of voters believe it is likely that the Biden Administration will raise taxes on middle class Americans. Only 27% consider it unlikely.

Forty-one percent (41%) of voters believe the benefits of government are worth the costs and regulations. Thirty-three percent (33%) disagree and 26% are not sure.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Biden Job Approval Rebounds Following Speech: 47% Approve, 48% Disapprove

Posted on September 13, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-seven percent (47%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 48% disapprove and 5% are not sure.

The survey, conducted in the two days following the president’s speech announcing new COVID mandates, shows a modest bounce for the president. His approval numbers are up five points from earlier in September and up one from mid-August.

The biggest gains for the president came from voters who prefer traditional Republican policies. Prior to the speech, 26% of these voters approved of the president’s performance. That jumped 14 points to 40% in the latest survey.

However, the president’s numbers improved only two points among Independents.

The current totals include 29% who Strongly Approve and 36% who Strongly Disapprove. These numbers also indicate a bounce for the president.

The president’s speech increased voter enthusiasm for the midterm elections across the board. Those who prefer Trump-like policies remain more motivated to vote than other segments of the population.

The survey found little change on the Generic Congressional Ballot. The parties remain tied among Registered Voters while the GOP has a slight edge among motivated voters.

Data released earlier showed that Democratic voters see supporters of Donald Trump and the unvaccinated as the biggest threats facing the nation. Democrats were less likely to express serious concern about the Taliban, China, or Russia (37%).

Among Republicans and Independents, the top three threats are the Taliban, Defund the Police Activists, and China.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Generic Congressional Ballot: GOP 40% Dems 40%

Posted on September 13, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Following President Biden’s speech and new COVID mandates, the Generic Congressional Ballot remains essentially unchanged. The latest Scott Rasmussen poll shows that, if the election were held today, 40% of Registered Voters would vote for the Democrat from their Congressional District while 40% would vote for the Republican.

Those numbers are unchanged since late August. In five surveys conducted earlier in the year, Democrats led by one-to-four percentage points.

Six percent (6%) say they will vote for some other candidate while 14% are not sure.

Enthusiasm for voting increased across the board following the president’s speech.

Among those who are Very Motivated to vote, the Republicans lead by a 47% to 44% margin. That’s little changed from a month ago. The GOP advantage stems largely from the fact that voters who prefer policies of President Trump are more motivated to vote than others.

Among all Registered voters, Republicans have a modest 30% to 25% advantage.

Democrats have a huge lead among urban voters matched by a huge Republican lead among rural voters. Suburban voters are evenly divided.

Republicans lead among voters who are at least 55. Democrats lead among younger voters.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Vice President Harris: 46% Favorable 44% Unfavorable

Posted on September 13, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Vice President Kamala Harris is viewed favorably by 46% of the nation’s voters and unfavorably by 44%. A Scott Rasmussen national survey also found that the four top Congressional leaders are all “underwater” in their ratings

Nancy Pelosi: Favorable 39% Unfavorable 50%
Kevin McCarthy: Favorable 28% Unfavorable 35%
Chuck Schumer: Favorable 36% Unfavorable 39%
Mitch McConnell: Favorable 31% Unfavorable 48%

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Following Biden Speech, Interest in Midterm Elections Up Across the Board

Posted on September 12, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Following President Biden’s speech announcing new COVID mandates, 63% of Registered Voters feel Very Motivated to cast a ballot in next year’s midterm elections. That’s up five points from a Scott Rasmussen national survey conducted in late August.

The increased enthusiasm was found across the board.

Voters who prefer policies like those of former President Trump continue to have the highest level of motivation. Seventy percent (75%) of these populist voters are Very Motivated, up five points from the previous survey.
Among the smaller number who prefer traditional Republican policies, 56% are now Very Motivated, up six.
Sixty-seven percent (67%) of those who prefer policies like those of Senator Bernie Sanders, up seven.
Sixty-six percent (66%) of those who prefer traditional Democratic candidates are now Very Motivated, up five.

Overall, 72% of Republicans are Very Motivated along with 69% of Democrats.

However, among independent voters, 77% of those who lean Republican are Very Motivated to cast a ballot in the midterms. Just 57% of those who lean towards the Democrats are that enthusiastic.

The survey was conducted on the Friday and Saturday following the president’s speech. It will be interesting to see if the new level of interest is just a temporary blip or a lasting change.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Democrats See Trump Supporters and the Unvaccinated As Biggest Threat to Nation

Posted on September 12, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Democratic voters believe supporters of Donald Trump are a serious threat to the nation. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 56% of those in President Biden’s party also consider the unvaccinated a serious threat. That’s a higher level of concern than Democrats express about the Taliban (44% see it as a serious threat); China (44%), or Russia (37%).

These results help explain the tone and actions taken recently by President Biden.

Republicans and Independents have a much different view of the threats facing the nation.

For Republicans, the top concerns are the Taliban (66%), Defund the Police Activists (62%), and China (58%).

The top three concerns for Independents are the same as the GOP (though in a different order). The Taliban is the biggest concern for independent voters (46%) followed by China (45%) and Defund the Police Activists (36%).

Among all voters, 52% see the Taliban as a serious threat and 49% say the same about China. Next on the list, 40% see Defund the Police Activists as a serious threat and 39% see the unvaccinated that way.

While Democrats see Trump supporters as the biggest threat facing the nation, 42% of all voters see them as no threat. That’s not terribly surprising given that the former president received nearly as many votes as President Biden. This is the only group asked about in the survey where the number saying No Threat tops the Serious Threat.

The disconnect may come from the fact that a plurality of Democrats think most Trump voters supported those who assaulted the Capitol. However, that is not the case. A solid majority of Republicans and a solid majority of Trump supporters disapprove of those who broke into the Capitol on January 6.

Going even further, 45% of voters consider the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol a major threat to democracy. However, a slightly larger number–55%– believe letting government bureaucrats set rules without approval of Congress or voters is a major threat to democracy.

On the topic of seeing the unvaccinated as a threat, Scott Rasmussen recently asked vaccinated voters an open-ended question on their thoughts about the unvaccinated. The responses are far less angry than you might expect from the media coverage (see the raw responses from 659 vaccinated voters here).

Other recent survey data helps explain the lack of anger in the comments offered by vaccinated voters. Most (57%) are comfortable attending indoor social events without wearing a mask. Also, if they tested positive for COVID, 67% of voters think it’s they would recover quickly with only minor symptoms. Just 5% say such a recovery is Not at All Likely.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Voters Divided On Banning Abortions After Heartbeat Detected; 47% Favor While 41% Opposed

Posted on September 12, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-seven percent (47%) of voters favor a proposal allowing abortions up to the moment a heartbeat is detected in the fetus. After that, abortions would not be allowed except in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is at risk. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 41% are opposed and 13% are not sure.

The totals include 23% who Strongly Favor such a proposal and 27% who are Strongly Opposed. Among those most motivated to vote in the 2022 Midterm Elections, support for the measure is somewhat stronger than among the general population.

The survey also found that 46% of voters mistakenly believe that the abortion laws in the United States are more restrictive than in most European nations. Just 17% believe they are less restrictive.

The Washington Post reports that the United States is one of only seven countries in the world that allow elective abortions after 20 weeks of a pregnancy. The others are North Korea, Vietnam, China, Canada, Netherlands, and Singapore.

In Canada, some provinces allow elective abortions only during the first 12 weeks of a pregnancy while others extend the limit to 24 weeks. However, abortions after 20 weeks are not always readily available for Canadians, so women are often referred to a clinic in the United States,

Data released earlier showed that 36% of voters believe it is too easy to get an abortion in America while 26% think it is too hard.

Given a choice, 56% of voters would support a candidate who said abortion should be allowed only during the first three months of a pregnancy rather than at any point during the pregnancy. Just 23% hold the opposite view and 21% are not sure.

Forty-nine percent (49%) of voters know of close friends or relatives who have had an abortion. That total includes 49% of those who attend church or other religious services every week.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of those with a college degree know someone who has had an abortion. Among those without a degree, that figure is 43%.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

7-Out-Of-10 Believe Racial and Ideological Diversity Important for a Newsroom

Posted on September 11, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Seventy-one percent (71%) of voters believe it is important for a news organization’s reporters to be racially and ethnically diverse. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that a slightly larger number–78%– for reporters of a news organization to be ideologically and politically diverse.

A majority of voters in every measured demographic group believes that both racial/ethic and ideological partisan diversity is important.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

42% Believe Human Behavior Can Stop Climate Change

Posted on September 11, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-two percent (42%) of voters believe human behavior can stop climate change. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 33% of voters disagree and 25% are not sure.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of Democrats believe climate change can be stopped by human behavior. Just 36% of Independents and 23% of Republicans agree.

Most voters under 45 believe climate change can be stopped by changing human behavior. Older voters are less certain.

The survey also found that 80% of voters recognize that “The earth’s climate has been changing throughout history. There are historical cycles of cooling and warming.” This knowledge, however, has not prevented concerns that this time something might be different.

Still, concerns about climate change has not developed into support for major Green New Deal initiatives. One proposal included in the Democrats’ “reconciliation” plan would lead to creation of a federal Climate Climate Corps. Among other things, that proposal would hire at least 750,000 environmental activists to visit people’s homes and conduct energy audits. Most voters oppose that plan.

Overall, only 38% of voters who have heard of the Green New Deal think it is even somewhat likely to stop climate change. A larger number (49%) think it is at least somewhat likely to destroy the economy. Additionally, most believe that the Green New Deal will increase energy costs and reduce America’s energy independence.

A recent Vox article suggested “It’s time to rethink air conditioning.” Presenting air conditioning as a major environmental threat, the article suggested phasing out private air conditioning in homes and provide community cooling spaces as well. Just 22% of voters even somewhat favor such an approach.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

22% Favor Proposal to End Private Home Air Conditioning; 68% Oppose

Posted on September 10, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

A recent Vox article suggested “It’s time to rethink air conditioning.” Presenting air conditioning as a major environmental threat, it suggested phasing out private air conditioning in homes and provide community cooling spaces as well.

Twenty-two percent (22%) of voters at least somewhat favor such an approach. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 68% are opposed.

The totals include 10% who Strongly Favor the idea and 56% who are Strongly Opposed.

Among voters who prefer policies like those of Senator Bernie Sanders, 44% favor the elimination of private air conditioning.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Most Vaccinated Americans Believe It’s More Important for Government to Protect Individual Rights Than To Do What Majority Wants

Posted on September 10, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters nationwide believe it is more important for the government to protect the rights of individual Americans rather than doing what the majority wants. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 29% take the opposite views and believe following the majority is more important. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure.

Among voters who have received the COVID vaccine, 53% see protecting individual rights as the higher priority while 35% take the opposite view.

Sixty-five percent (65%) of Republicans see protecting individual rights as the higher priority. So do 52% of Independent voters and 48% of Democrats.

Data released earlier showed, in their own words, how vaccinated Americans view the unvaccinated. The responses are far less angry than you might expect from the media coverage. Relatively few of the vaccinated expressed anger at the unvaccinated. Instead of anger, there are many condescending comments about the perceived stupidity of the unvaccinated.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen from August 10-11, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

64% Want America to Move Forward By Adapting to Pandemic; 24% Want More Lockdowns

Posted on September 9, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixty-four percent (64%) of voters believe it’s time for the nation to move forward by adapting to the ongoing nature of the pandemic. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that just 24% want to lockdown again until the pandemic is completely behind us.

Support for moving forward rather than locking down comes from 78% of Republicans, 59% of Independents, and 53% of Democrats.

When it comes to deciding which businesses are safe to visit, 53% of voters nationwide think individual Americans should decide for themselves. Thirty-one percent (31%) think Governors and Mayors should make that decision.

On this question there is a partisan divide. Seventy percent (70%) of Republicans think individual Americans should decide for themselves. By a 50% to 33% margin, Democrats place their trust in Governors and Mayors.

As for independents, 53% trust individual Americans and 22% are more comfortable letting elected officials decide.

Other recent surveys found that 57% of voters believe the lockdowns did more harm than good.

Pessimism about the pandemic has grown dramatically in recent months. It is currently at the lowest level recorded since the vaccines became available.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

36% Likely to Attend Event Commemorating 9/11 Anniversary

Posted on September 9, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Saturday will be the 20^th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. Thirty-six percent (36%) of voters say they are at least somewhat likely to attend a memorial service or other public event to commemorate the anniversary. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that most voters (54%) are unlikely to attend such an event.

The total includes 18% who are Very Likely to attend an event commemorating that tragic day. Twenty-eight percent (28%) are Not at All Likely to do so.

Those likely to attend include 39% of Democrats, 34% of Independents, and 33% of Republicans.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

52% Oppose Climate Conservation Corps Energy Audits; 31% Like the Idea

Posted on September 8, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

One Green New Deal related proposal in the Democrats’ proposed reconciliation spending bill is a plan for the federal government to hire 750,000 workers who would visit people’s homes to conduct an energy audit. When initially asked about that plan, a Scott Rasmussen national survey found 37% of voters at least somewhat favor the idea and 48% are at least somewhat opposed,

However, the plan does not call for the federal government to directly employ workers who would conduct the energy audits, Instead, the legislative proposal would provide funding for groups of environmental activists to hire people. Just 31% favor that idea and 52% are opposed.

Those totals include 13% who Strongly Favor the idea and 37% who are Strongly Opposed. Opposition to the plan is somewhat stronger among those most motivated to vote in the midterm elections.

Forty-nine percent (49%) of urban voters favor the hiring plan for energy audits. Just 27% of suburban voters share that view along with only 22% of rural voters.

Earlier this year, the Biden Administration proposed a door-to-door campaign to convince the unvaccinated to get the COVID vaccine. That, too, was unpopular with voters–especially the target audience.

In both cases, a majority of Democrats supported the door-to-door outreach. But Republicans and Independents opposed it. When it comes to the Climate Conservation Corps plan for paying 750,000 people to conduct home energy audits, 58% of Democrats favor the idea. Just 19% of Independents and 14% of Republicans agree.

Looked at from the opposite perspective, 78% of Republicans oppose the plan. So do 53% of Independents. Among Democrats, 26% are opposed.

These numbers provide yet another example of similarities between the Biden Administration today and the Carter Administration of the 1970s. It appears as if Democrats see these 750,000 workers as helping ordinary Americans. Republicans and Independent voters connect more with President Reagan’s view: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.”

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

31% Given Biden Good or Excellent Marks for Handling Afghanistan Withdrawal

Posted on September 8, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Thirty-one percent (31%) of voters give President Biden good or excellent marks for handling the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 46% say he did a poor job. In between are rate the president’s performance as just fair.

Sixty percent (60%) of Democrats say the president did a good or excellent job. Just 18% of Independents and 13% of Republicans agree.

The poor marks for the president come despite the fact that 64% of voters approve of the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan. However, most voters (54%) disapprove of removing American troops before all Americans were evacuated. Seventy-four percent (74%) think it’s likely that Americans left behind in Afghanistan will eventually be discovered by the Taliban and tortured or killed.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

54% Disapprove of Removing Troops From Afghanistan Before All Americans Were Evacuated

Posted on September 8, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Just 38% of Registered Voters approve of President Biden’s decision to remove all troops from Afghanistan before all Americans were evacuated from that country. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 54% disapprove and 8% are not sure.

Those totals include 17% who Strongly Approve of the decision and 41% who Strongly Disapprove.

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of Democrats approve of the president’s decision. However, 78% of Republicans and 58% of Independent voters disapprove.

The survey also found that 74% of voters think it’s at least somewhat likely that Americans left behind in Afghanistan will eventually be discovered by the Taliban and tortured or killed. Only 14% consider it unlikely.

Those totals include 46% who think it’s Very Likely Americans will be tortured or killed by the Taliban and 3% who say it’s Not at All Likely.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Biden Job Approval Drops to 42%

Posted on September 7, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-two percent (42%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 52% disapprove and 5% are not sure.

Biden’s approval rating is down four points two weeks ago, nine points from two months ago and down 13 points from three months ago.

As the president’s ratings decline, 46% of Democrats have come to believe that things would be better today if Senator Bernie Sanders had become president instead of Joe Biden. Just 10% of Democrats disagree and believe things would be worse.

The current totals include 23% who Strongly Approve and 41% who Strongly Disapprove. These results are by far the most negative assessments yet measured for the president.

The president does earn rave reviews from voters with a postgraduate degree. Among those with a masters or a doctorate, 68% offer their approval while only 30% disapprove.

Among all other voters, just 36% approve and 58% disapprove. This includes voters with a bachelor’s degree, some college, and no college.

The gap between those with a postgraduate degree and the rest of the nation is found on a variety of issues. For example, among all voters, 34% agree that “The only way to save the planet is for the government to impose strict mandates and regulations on the way people live and the amount of energy they use.” Most (57%) disagree.

But things look different among those with high levels of formal education. Most voters with a postgraduate degree (55%) agree that, to save the planet, there is a need for strict government rules on lifestyles and energy use. However, by a 61% to 30% margin, all other voters reject that view.

It is likely that the president’s numbers will rebound somewhat as the withdrawal from Afghanistan moves further behind us. However, there is no way to tell at this moment how fully his approval ratings will recover. Presidents Obama and Trump both spent most of their first term with Job Approval ratings below 50%.

In addition to Afghanistan and the Southern border, pessimism about the pandemic is growing again. Just 25% of voters believe the worst is behind us. That’s down 31 points over the past three months and the lowest level of optimism measured since the vaccines became available.

On the policy front, 57% of voters believe that shutting down businesses and locking down society did more harm than good.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

34% Believe Strict Gov’t Mandates on Lifestyle and Energy Use Needed to Save the Planet; 57% Disagree

Posted on September 7, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Thirty-four percent (34%) of voters agree that “The only way to save the planet is for the government to impose strict mandates and regulations on the way people live and the amount of energy they use.” A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 57% disagree and 10% are not sure.

The totals include 12% who Strongly Agree that strict government rules are needed to save the planet and 41% who Strongly Disagree.

Sixty-two percent (62%) of Democrats agree on the need for strict mandates and government regulations. However, 78% of Republicans and 62% of Independent voters take the opposite view.

Most voters with a postgraduate degree (55%) agree that, to save the planet, there is a need for strict government rules on lifestyles and energy use. Only 38% of those with a high level of formal education think the planet can be saved without heavy regulation.

However, the numbers are dramatically reversed among voters without a postgraduate degree. Just 30% of such voters believe government mandates on lifestyles and energy use are needed to save the planet. Sixty-one percent (61%) reject that view.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

44% of Hispanic Voters See Themselves As Hispanic

Posted on September 3, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Just 44% of voters that the Census Bureau would define as Hispanic define themselves that way. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that, given a range of options, 22% define themselves as White, 17% as American, 6% as Black, 6% as Mixed, and 4% as Asian.

This data highlights the reality that racial and ethnic categories are not nearly as clear cut as political analysts often suggest.

Overall, 47% of voters nationwide define themselves as White; 31% say American; 11% Black; 5% Hispanic; 2% Asian; 2% Mixed; and, 2% Other.

This particular survey first asked questions about race and ethnicity in the same manner as the Census Bureau. Later, we asked respondents how they defined themselves. Similar research efforts suggest that the children and grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants tend to identify more with America as their home rather than their Hispanic heritage.

The Census Bureau asks people if they are of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin and then ask a follow up question about their race. As a result, there are roughly 40 million people with some Hispanic ancestors who identify their race as White. A smaller number of voters labeled Hispanic identify their race as Black.

For anyone seeking to learn more about this topic, The Great Demographic Illusion by Richard Alba is an invaluable resource. Alba points out that many people now considered White were considered minorities in the 20th century. That includes Italians, Irish, Jews and many others. He also points out that people from Mexico were counted as White until 1980.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Scott Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from August 26-29, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Most respondents were contacted online or via text while 236 were contacted using automated phone polling techniques. Online respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

46% of Dems Think Things Would Be Better If Sanders was President; 10% Think Things Would Be Worse

Posted on September 2, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-six percent (46%) of Democrats believe that things would be better today if Senator Bernie Sanders had become president instead of Joe Biden. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that only 10% of Democrats disagree and believe things would be worse with a President Sanders. Thirty-seven percent (37%) believe things would be about the same.

Among all voters, 29% think things would be better, 24% say worse, and 37% about the same.

The survey also found that 41% of voters nationwide think it’s likely Sanders could have defeated President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. However, 46% consider it unlikely and 13% are not sure.

Those figures include 19% who think it’s Very Likely Sanders could have defeated Trump and 22% who say Not at All Likely.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

62% of Florida Voters Say It’s Time to Move Forward by Adapting to the Pandemic; 25% Want Lockdowns Instead

Posted on September 1, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixty-two percent (62%) of Florida’s Registered Voters think it’s time to move forward by finding a way to adapt to the ongoing nature of the pandemic. A Scott Rasmussen survey found that 25% believe it would be better to lockdown again until the pandemic is completely behind us.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of White voters in the state believe it’s time to move forward. So do 59% of Hispanic voters and 51% of Black voters.

The state’s most liberal voters are evenly divided on the question. Very conservative voters, on the other hand, say it’s time to move forward by a 79% to 14% margin.

Republicans overwhelmingly say it’s time to move forward. Democrats are more evenly divided. Still, by a 49% to 37% margin, a plurality of Democrats in Florida say it’s time to adapt rather than lockdown.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,000 Registered Voters in Florida was conducted by Scott Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from August 21-28, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Most respondents were contacted online or via text while 149 were contacted using automated phone polling techniques. Online respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the state’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 3.1 percentage points.

DeSantis Leads Crist, Fried in Bid for Re-election

Posted on September 1, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has a modest lead over a pair of potential Democratic rivals among Registered Voters. However, his lead is more substantial among those Very Motivated to take part in the 2022 midterm elections.

Among Registered Voters, DeSantis leads both Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried by a 41% to 38% margin.

However, among the most motivated voters, DeSantis leads Crist by a 49% to 42% margin and Fried by a 49% to 40% margin.

Sixty-two percent (62%) of Florida’s Registered Voters think it’s time to move forward by adapting to the ongoing nature of the pandemic. Just 25% believe it would be better to lockdown again until the pandemic is completely behind us.

Overall, 49% of Florida voters approve of the way that DeSantis has handled his job while 44% disapprove. Among the Very Motivated voters, 54% approve of DeSantis.

These overall dynamics are consistent with other survey research. Nationwide, on the generic ballot, Republicans and Democrats are tied among Registered Voters. However, the GOP has a 5-point advantage among the motivated voters.

Other data from the surveys will be released in the coming days.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 3.1 percentage points.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Tied Among Registered Voters; However, Among Very Motivated Voters GOP Has 5-Point Lead

Posted on September 1, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

If the election were held today, 40% of Registered Voters would vote for the Democrat from their Congressional District while 40% would vote for the Republican. The latest Scott Rasmussen poll is the first time the parties have been even on this basic measure of the political environment. In five earlier surveys, Democrats led by one-to-four percentage points.

At the beginning of August, Democrats held a 42% to 40% advantage.

This month, for the first time, the survey asked about enthusiasm for voting in the midterm elections. Among those who are Very Motivated to vote, the Republicans lead by a 48% to 43% margin. This five-point edge stems largely from the fact that voters who prefer policies of President Trump are more motivated to vote than others.

Among voters who prefer Traditional Republican policies, just 55% are committed to voting for a GOP candidate. Sixteen percent (16%) say they would vote for a Democrat. However, those who want Traditional GOP policies are significantly less motivated than other voters.

The survey was conducted at a time when the Biden Administration is struggling on many fronts. As a result, it is impossible to know whether the shifts in the generic ballot reflect merely a temporary blip or are the beginning of a longer-term trend.

One major challenge for the president is that just 45% of voters have confidence in the ability of the Biden Administration to keep America safe. Following the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, 49% of all voters believe that our enemies view us as weaker than before. Just 21% disagree.

The situation at the Southern border may also be a factor in the general lack of confidence. Just 28% of voters believe the federal government today is seriously trying to secure the border and reduce illegal immigration. There is a strong belief that many of those crossing the border illegally are drug dealers, human traffickers, and more.

Adding to the president’s burden, pessimism about the pandemic is growing again. Just 25% of voters believe the worst is behind us. That’s down 31 points over the past three months and the lowest level of optimism measured since the vaccines became available.

On top of all that, and perhaps because of the above issues, economic confidence has fallen.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

22% Discuss Politics Daily With Family and Friends, 50% Discuss Politics No More Than Once a Week

Posted on September 1, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Twenty-two percent (22%) of Registered Voters discuss politics every day or nearly every day with their immediate family and close friends. However, a Scott Rasmussen national survey found that just 11% have such daily discussions with people outside their circle of family and friends.

At the other end of the spectrum, 50% of voters talk politics with family and close friends once a week or less. Sixty-eight percent (68%) have such discussions with others no more than once a week.

Those totals include 18% who rarely or never discuss politics with family and friends along with 28% who don’t discuss politics with others.

Voters who prefer Trump-like policies discuss politics more often than other voters.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

58% of Registered Voters are Very Motivated to Cast a Ballot in 2022

Posted on August 30, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Registered Voters feel Very Motivated to cast a ballot in next year’s midterm elections. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that another 21% are Somewhat Motivated to participate next year.

Voters who prefer policies like those of former President Trump have a higher level of motivation than others. Seventy percent (70%) of the populist voters are Very Motivated. Among the smaller number who prefer traditional Republican politics, just 50% are that motivated.

On the other side of the aisle, 61% of those who prefer Traditional Democratic policies are Very Motivated. So are 60% of those who prefer policies like those of Senator Bernie Sanders.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Biden Approval Down to 46% Amidst Concerns About Afghanistan, Immigration, and the Pandemic

Posted on August 26, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-six percent (46%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 46% disapprove and 7% are not sure.

Biden’s approval rating is down five points from a month ago and down nine points from two months ago.

The current totals include 22% who Strongly Approve and 35% who Strongly Disapprove. That is by far the most negative assessments yet measured for the president.

As a result, 59% think a major terrorist attack in the U.S. is somewhat or very likely within the next year.

On the policy front, 57% of voters believe that shutting down businesses and locking down society did more harm than good.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Scott Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from August 20-22, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Most respondents were contacted online or via text while 215 were contacted using automated phone polling techniques. Online respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

45% Confident in Biden Administration to Keep Nation Safe; 48% Are Not

Posted on August 26, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-five percent (45%) of voters have at least some confidence in the ability of the Biden Administration to keep America safe. A Scott Rasmussen survey found that 48% do not.

Those totals include 20% who are Very Confident in the ability of the Biden team to keep us safe and 32% who are Not at All Confident.

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Democrats express confidence in the Administration. That confidence is shared by 29% of Independent voters and 17% of Republicans.

The situation at the Southern border may be a factor in the general lack of confidence. Data released earlier showed that 58% of voters believe that drug cartels have more control of the Southern border than the U.S. government.

Just 28% of voters believe the federal government today is seriously trying to secure the border and reduce illegal immigration. There is a strong belief that many of those crossing the border illegally are drug dealers, human traffickers, and more.

When given a choice, 42% of all voters see China as a bigger threat than either Russia or Afghanistan. Of those three nations, 18% see Russia as the biggest threat while 16% point to Afghanistan. Following the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, 49% of all voters believe that our enemies view us as weaker than before. Just 21% disagree.

Data released earlier showed that 59% think a major terrorist attack in the U.S. is somewhat or very likely within the next year.

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Methodology

59% Say Major Terrorist Attack At Least Somewhat Likely Over Next Year

Posted on August 24, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Over the next year or so, 59% of voters say it is at least somewhat likely that there will be a major terrorist attack in the United States. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 22% consider it unlikely and 19% are not sure.

Those figures include 26% who consider an attack Very Likely and 4% who say Not at All Likely.

Seventy-percent (70%) of Republicans worry that such an attack might happen. So do 52% of Democrats and 51% of Independents.

Other recent polls found that 49% believe that, following the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, America’s enemies perceive our nation as weaker. Just 21% disagree.

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Pessimism About Pandemic Continues to Grow

Posted on August 24, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Public confidence concerning the pandemic has fallen again to the lowest level measured since the vaccines became available. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 25% of voters now believe the worst of the pandemic is behind us. That’s down three points since over the past month and down 31 points over the past three months.

Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters now believe the worst is yet to come. That’s up three points from a month ago and up 28 points from 3 months ago.

This is the most pessimistic assessment measured since December of last year. Beginning with the rollout of the vaccines in January, confidence grew fairly steadily for five months.

Thirty-three percent (33%) of men believe the worst is behind us, an optimism shared by just 18% of women.

These numbers come at a time when 57% of voters believe that the lockdowns did more harm than good.

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Methodology

Following Afghanistan Withdrawal, 49% Believe Russia and China Perceive U.S. as Weaker; 21% Disagree

Posted on August 24, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Given the way the withdrawal from Afghanistan was handled, 49% of voters believe countries such as China and Russia now perceive the United States as weaker than before. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 21% disagree and 30% are not sure.

Not surprisingly, there is a wide partisan divide. Republicans tend to think the U.S. is perceived as weaker than before while Democrats are evenly divided.

Most White and Hispanic voters believe the U.S. is perceived as weaker. Black voters are evenly divided.

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57% Believe Lockdowns Did More Harm Than Good

Posted on August 23, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Looking back over the past year, 57% of voters believe that shutting down businesses and locking down society did more harm than good. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 36% disagree and 17% are not sure.

Belief that the lockdowns did more harm than good is up a couple of points from a month ago. In May, 2020, a majority of voters took the opposite view.

The current totals include 32% who Strongly Agree that the lockdowns did more harm than good and 17% who Strongly Disagree.

Republicans overwhelmingly think the lockdowns did more harm than good. Independents, by a 49% to 26% margin, tend to agree. Most Democrats (52%) take the opposite view.

However, there is a divide between White Democrats and other Democrats.

Most White Democrats (58%) reject the idea that the lockdowns did more harm than good.
Among Black Democrats, 51% agree that the lockdowns did more harm than good.
Among Other Democrats, 56% think the lockdowns did more harm than good.

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46% Think Self-Employment Is The Ideal Job

Posted on August 18, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-six percent (46%) of voters believe the ideal job is to be self-employed. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that another 21% would like to work for a small business.

Fifteen percent (15%) think that working for a large corporation would be ideal while 9% would like a government job.

Fifty percent (50%) of men think self-employment is the best. So do 43% of women.

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On Immigration, Voters Prefer Trump Over Biden

Posted on August 18, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Regardless of their view on other issues, 45% of voters believe President Trump had better immigration policies than President Biden. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 40% prefer the Biden approach.

Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Republicans prefer Trump while 73% of Democrats like the Biden approach. Among Independents, Trump is favored by a 42% to 21% margin.

These results come at a time when just 31% of voters believe President Biden is doing a good job handling the situation at the Southern border.

Sixty percent (60%) of voters believe the growing number of illegal immigrants to be an invasion of the United States. But they’re not sure which side the federal government is on. Just 28% of voters believe the federal government today is even trying to secure the border and reduce illegal immigration.

If the federal government does not make an effort to secure the border, 61% believe state governments should be allowed to take over and secure their state border. Just 21% are opposed to state action.

There is a strong belief among voters that many of those crossing the border illegally are drug dealers, human traffickers, and more. Data released earlier showed that 58% of voters believe that drug cartels have more control of the Southern border than the U.S. government.

Half of all voters see illegal immigration as a crisis, an assessment the Biden Administration rejects.

Other recent polling data showed that 32% of voters believe all, or just about all, illegal immigrants living in the United States should be granted amnesty and allowed to remain in the country. Forty-two percent (42%) are opposed.

Nineteen percent (19%) of voters believe that U.S. border patrol agents re too harsh in dealing with illegal immigrants. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 33% believe they are too lenient.

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