Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Job Approval Edges Up, GOP Contest Remains Fluid

Lackluster Ratings for Republican Field Continue

November 17, 2011

With much of the recent political focus on the ever-changing Republican presidential nomination race, Barack Obama's job rating has improved modestly over the past month, although few Americans (35%) approve of the way he is handling the economy. A majority of Americans continue to hold a favorable personal opinion of Obama. This is not the case for his main GOP rivals, whom he mostly bests in test election measures.

The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted Nov. 9-14 among 2,001 adults, including 1,576 registered voters, finds that Obama holds clear advantages over Cain, Gingrich and Perry in head-to-head matchups among registered voters. As was the case in October, however, Obama runs about even with Romney: 49% say they would vote for Obama or lean toward Obama while 47% support or lean toward Romney.

Read the full report for findings on these subjects:

• The political preferences of independents
• The primary preferences of Republican voters and how they view the candidates
• Views of Tea Party Republicans and Republican moderates
• Views of the allegations against Herman Cain
• The "engagement gap" between Republicans and Democrats regarding the 2012 campaign 
• Ratings of congressional leaders
• The Deficit and the Super Committee
• Public opinion of U.S. involvement in Iraq