Politics

48% Favor Gay Marriage, 41% Oppose

As same-sex marriage gains traction in the courts, an increasing number of Americans are voicing support for it.

Nearly half (48%) of Likely U.S. Voters now favor gay marriage, up from a previous high of 45% in regular tracking since last October. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% still oppose gay marriage, while 11% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 13-14, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Voters React to Plan to Reduce Prison Overcrowding, Restore Felons' Voting Rights

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker are working on bipartisan legislation to reform the U.S. criminal justice system, in part to reduce the U.S. prison population. But while most voters agree with restoring voting rights to non-violent felons, they are less enthusiastic about requiring all states to raise the minimum age someone can be tried as an adult. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters believe there are too many Americans in prison today. Thirty-one percent (31%) disagree, while 24% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 13-14, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Voters to Holder: Racism Is Not the Reason for Opposition to Obama

Attorney General Eric Holder on ABC News this past weekend again raised the idea that opposition to his and President Obama’s agenda is due in part to race. Most voters still don’t see racism playing a big part in that opposition.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 61% of Likely U.S. Voters think people who oppose the president’s policies do so primarily because they believe his policies are bad, not because of racism.

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 11-12, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Maryland Voters Are Less Than Enthusiastic About An O’Malley Presidency

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley still has a lot of convincing to do – even in his home state - if he’s going to run for the White House in 2016. Just 15% of Likely Maryland Voters think O’Malley should run for president two years from now. A new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey finds that 62% do not think their two-term governor should run. But nearly one-out-of-four (23%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in Maryland was conducted on July 9-10, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

South Carolina Special Senate Election: Scott (R) 53%, Dickerson (D) 31%

Appointed Republican Senator Tim Scott holds a big lead over Democrat Joyce Dickerson in his first election bid for a full Senate term in South Carolina. Scott picks up 53% of the vote to Dickerson’s 31%, according to a new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely South Carolina Voters. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate in the race, while 11% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in South Carolina was conducted on July 9-10, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

There’s Support for Impeachment, But Most Like Electing A New Congress Better

Critics of President Obama have called for his impeachment and for lawsuits challenging his executive actions, but most voters nix both ideas. Better, they say, to elect an opposition Congress.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 32% of Likely U.S. Voters think President Obama should be impeached and removed from office. Nearly twice as many (58%) disagree and oppose his impeachment. Ten percent (10%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 11-12, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

68% Think Election Rules Rigged for Incumbents

More voters than ever now say U.S. elections are rigged to favor incumbents and are unfair to voters.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Likely U.S. Voters now say American elections are not fair to voters, up from 46% in April and the highest finding in surveys since 2004. Thirty-nine percent (39%) think elections are fair, but 14% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 9-10, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Maryland Governor: Brown (D) 48%, Hogan (R) 35%

Democratic Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown has a double-digit lead over Republican Larry Hogan in the race to be Maryland’s next governor.

Brown picks up 48% of the vote to Hogan’s 35%, according to a new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Maryland Voters. Seven percent (7%) prefer some other candidate in the race, while 10% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in Maryland was conducted on July 9-10, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

South Carolina Senate: Graham (R) 49%, Hutto (D) 30%

Senator Lindsey Graham easily turned back several challengers in South Carolina’s Republican primary last month and now looks comfortably on the path to reelection.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely South Carolina Voters finds Graham with 49% support to Democrat Brad Hutto’s 30%. Ten percent (10%) like some other candidate, and 11% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here).

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in South Carolina was conducted on July 9-10, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

34% Think U.S. Support for Israel Hurts America With Other Nations

Most voters want the United States to stay out of the latest flare-up between the Israelis and the Palestinians, with one-out-of-three who believe U.S. support for Israel hurts this country with other nations.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the Palestinians are more to blame for the escalating military conflict in Gaza, while only 15% think the Israelis are chiefly to blame. But a sizable 43% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here).

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

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58% Think American Society is Fair and Decent

Most voters still think American society is generally fair and decent and believe those who immigrate here should adopt the culture.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of Likely U.S. Voters think American society is generally fair and decent, while 32% say it’s generally unfair and discriminatory. Ten percent (10%) are not sure. This is in line with surveys since early 2013. Prior to that time, belief that American society was fair and decent regularly ran in the low to mid-60s. (To see survey question wording, click here).

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The national telephone survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on July 7-8, 2014. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Americans See Limits on Citizenship for Children of Illegals As Best Way to Stop Illegal Immigration

Americans still overwhelmingly believe in the importance of closing the border to future illegal immigration despite the federal government’s failure to do so. Rasmussen Reports asked Americans the best way to stop illegal immigration and found continuing support for certain actions the government could take.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 82% of American Adults think it is important to secure the border to prevent future illegal immigration, with 60% who say it is Very Important. This is up slightly from 78% and 57% respectively in April of last year. Just 16% consider sealing the border against illegal immigration not very or Not At All Important. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on July 8-9, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

54% Think GOP Takeover of Senate Likely

Most voters now think Republicans are likely to win control of Congress in this November’s elections and believe Americans will see a noticeable change in their lives because of it.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters think it is at least somewhat likely that the GOP will win a majority in the Senate this November. That’s a 10-point increase from early January and includes 20% who say it is Very Likely. Twenty-nine percent (29%) consider a Republican takeover of the Senate to be unlikely, but that includes only five percent (5%) who say it is Not At All Likely.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 2, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

55% Think Women Should Be Allowed to Fight on the Front Lines

The U.S. Navy just named its first female four-star admiral last week, and nearly half of voters think the growing role of women in military services is good for the military.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Likely U.S. Voters consider the growing role of women in the U.S. military a good thing. That’s up from 45% in April but generally in line with surveys since late last year. Seventeen percent (17%) think more women in the services is bad for the military, while 29% think it has no impact. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 2, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

46% Believe Obama Administration Has Encouraged Young Illegal Immigrants To Come

Nearly half of U.S. voters believe the Obama administration has prompted the flood of illegal immigrant children at the border, and most want them sent back home right away.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of Likely U.S. Voters think that the administration, through its statements and policies, has encouraged this wave of illegal immigration. Thirty-one percent (31%) disagree, but 23% more are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 6, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

48% Are Pro-Choice, 44% Pro-Life

When it comes to the issue of abortion, the number of voters who consider themselves pro-life is at an all-time high.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Likely U.S. Voters now consider themselves pro-choice, while 44% are pro-life. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 30 – July 1, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

49% Favor Religious Exemption from Contraceptive Mandate, 39% Oppose

Half of voters agree with the U.S. Supreme Court that a business owner should be able to opt out of Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate if it violates his or her religious beliefs. But most also say a company’s level of contraceptive coverage is not that important to their decision to work there.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters think businesses should be required by law to provide health insurance that covers all government-approved contraceptives for women without co-payments or other charges to the patient. Slightly more (47%) say companies should not be required to meet this contraceptive mandate included in the new national health care law. Ten percent (10%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 30 - July1, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

44% Think Obama Less Faithful to U.S. Constitution Than Most Other Presidents

Most Democrats – and one-third of all voters – think President Obama should take action alone if Congress won’t agree with what he wants to do. But a plurality already believes the president has been less faithful to the Constitution than most of his predecessors in the White House.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 55% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that when it comes to dealing with issues the president considers important to the nation, the government should only do what the president and Congress agree on. Thirty-five percent (35%), however, think Obama should take action alone if Congress does not approve the initiatives he has proposed. Ten percent (10%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 28-29, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

68% Think U.S. Needs Stricter Enforcement of Existing Gun Laws

Support for stricter gun control laws is up slightly from March’s recent low, but voters still feel much more strongly that there needs to be stricter enforcement of laws already on the books.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 46% of Likely Voters believe the United States needs stricter gun control laws. That’s up six points from March but similar to findings for much of last year. Slightly more (48%) still oppose stricter gun control laws. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 26-27, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology. 

71% Think IRS Likely to Have Destroyed E-mails to Hide Guilt

Most voters think it’s likely the IRS deliberately destroyed e-mails about its investigations of Tea Party and other conservative groups to hide its criminal behavior. Two-out-of-three now believe IRS employees involved in these investigations should be jailed or fired, and most suspect the agency of targeting other political opponents of the Obama administration.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that the Internal Revenue Service broke the law when it targeted Tea Party and other conservative groups.  That’s up from 49% earlier this year and back to the level seen last September. Little changed from the early surveys are the 22% who think the IRS did not break the law. Slightly more (25%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on June 26-27, 2014 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.