Publications on Politics and Elections

This section features selected Pew Research Center reports (since 2005) on national and state politics from Pew Research Center projects. Individual project websites contain more reports related to this topic.

Cable Leads the Pack as Campaign News Source
Twitter, Facebook Play Very Modest Roles
7 Feb 12Cable news is now the top regular source for campaign news. The long-term decline in the number of Americans getting campaign news from local and network TV news, and local newspapers, steepened this year. Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are used for campaign news by a relatively limited audience.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Trends in Party Identification of Religious Groups
Jewish Support for GOP Rises
2 Feb 12The share of voters identifying with or leaning toward the GOP has either grown or held steady in every major religious group, according to a new analysis by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Low-Income Republicans Say Government Does Too Little for Poor People
2 Feb 12Mitt Romney’s emphatic statement that he is focused solely on the problems of middle class Americans, not the poor, may not sit well with most of the lower income voters within his own party.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Religion and the 2012 Florida Republican Primary
1 Feb 12In his commanding win in the 2012 Florida Republican primary, Mitt Romney received strong support from Catholics and from voters who do not describe themselves as white born-again/evangelical Christians, according to results from the National Election Pool exit poll.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

GOP Voters Continue to Give Field Subpar Ratings
30 Jan 12Republicans remain unimpressed with their party’s presidential field. More than half (52%) rate the candidates as only fair or poor. More voters also say Barack Obama understands the problems of average Americans than say so about Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

It's About Fairness, Not Class Warfare
27 Jan 12Pew Research Center President Andrew Kohut writes in the New York Times while Americans are hearing more and more about class conflict, there is little indication that they are increasingly divided along these lines. Their concerns are about policies that give everyone a fair shot.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Gingrich and Romney Both Face Mixed Portrayal
24 Jan 12As Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney took their battle for the Republican presidential nomination to Florida for its Jan. 31 primary, both of them arrive in the state with portrayals in the news media that are almost equally mixed
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Latinos in the 2012 Election: Florida
Factsheet
23 Jan 12Latinos now make up 13.1% of the Florida's 11.2 million registered voters. Democrats account for 564,513 Latino registered voters while 452,619 Latino voters are Republicans.
Pew Hispanic Center

Public Priorities: Deficit Rising, Terrorism Slipping
Tough Stance on Iran Endorsed
23 Jan 12As the State of the Union approaches, the economy continues to be the public's top priority. Fully 86% say that strengthening the economy should be a top priority for the president and Congress this year, and 82% rate improving the job situation as a top priority.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama: Weak Job Ratings, But Positive Personal Image
Michelle Obama’s Popularity Undiminished
19 Jan 12Barack Obama begins his fourth year in office facing a struggling economy, an unhappy public, and a lower job approval rating than most of his recent predecessors at a comparable point in their presidencies. However, Obama he still possesses a positive personal image with voters.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Campaign 2012: Too Negative, Too Long, Dull
‘Bain Capital’ Story Seen as Important
18 Jan 12Half of Americans say the presidential campaign has been too negative and 55% of the public describe the 2012 contest so far as dull. Nearly six-in-ten (57%) describe the campaign as dull.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Campaign 2012 and the Media
The Storyline Heading into South Carolina
18 Jan 12After winning the first two nominating contests, Mitt Romney is getting more negative news coverage heading into Saturday's South Carolina primary than he has at any time so far in the GOP race, according to the first edition of an ongoing analysis of election news by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Unpopular Nationally, Romney Holds Solid GOP Lead
Paul Polls at 18% as Third-Party Candidate
18 Jan 12Mitt Romney maintains a substantial lead nationally in the race for the GOP nomination. Yet his image among all voters has slipped since November and he runs no better in a general election matchup with Barack Obama than he did back then.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Super PACs Having Negative Impact, Say Voters Aware of ‘Citizens United’ Ruling
17 Jan 12Most voters who are aware of the 2010 Supreme Court decision allowing corporations and individuals to spend as much money as they want on political advertising say the impact has been negative.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Few GOP Voters Would Be Swayed by Endorsements
13 Jan 12Political endorsements by prominent Republicans would provide little help for GOP candidates in the primaries and might be more of a liability than a benefit in a general election campaign.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Many Voters Unaware of Basic Facts about GOP Candidates
12 Jan 12Many voters do not know basic facts about the Republican candidates running for president or the early primary calendar, such as where Mitt Romney served as governor.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Mormons in America
Certain in Their Beliefs, Uncertain of Their Place in Society
12 Jan 12A new nationally representative survey focused exclusively on Mormons explores their religious beliefs and practices, political ideology, views on moral and social issues, and attitudes toward faith, family life, the media and society.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Religion and the 2012 New Hampshire Republican Primary
11 Jan 12 Mitt Romney -- who won the overall New Hampshire vote by a double-digit margin -- was the winner among born-again evangelical Christians as well as among non-evangelical voters.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

GOP Voters Still Unenthused About Presidential Field
Romney Ahead Nationally, Santorum Gains Ground
9 Jan 12Republican voters continue to express mixed views of the party's presidential field. Roughly half (51%) of Republican and Republican-leaning registered voters say the candidates are excellent or good, while 44% say they are only fair or poor. Mitt Romney holds a sizable lead in the race for the GOP nomination.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Six Telling Findings from the Iowa Caucuses
4 Jan 12The Iowa caucuses produced six small but significant indicators of the dynamics that drove the race.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

News Coverage Index: The Santorum Surge Story Comes True
4 Jan 12In the days before Iowans finally caucused, the news media were most focused on the shifting horse race that foreshadowed Rick Santorum's strong late showing, according to an analysis of the leading themes in the Iowa press narrative by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Little Change in Public's Response to 'Capitalism,' 'Socialism'
A Political Rhetoric Test
28 Dec 11The recent Occupy Wall Street protests have focused public attention on what organizers see as the excesses of America's free market system, but perceptions of capitalism -- and even of socialism -- have changed little since early 2010 despite the recent tumult.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

As Deportations Rise to Record Levels, Most Latinos Oppose Obama’s Policy
President’s Approval Rating Drops, but Obama Has a Big Lead over 2012 GOP Rivals
28 Dec 11Latinos disapprove by a margin of more than two-to-one of the way the Obama administration is handling deportations of unauthorized immigrants, according to a new national survey of Latino adults by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center.
Pew Hispanic Center

In 2007, Mood Just Beginning to Sour, Democrats Better Regarded
Public Opinion Four Years Ago
20 Dec 11As another presidential election year approaches, the political and economic landscape has changed in a number of ways since four years ago. The public’s mood was not very good, but still a lot better than it is today.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Frustration with Congress Could Hurt Republican Incumbents
GOP Base Critical of Party’s Washington Leadership
15 Dec 11Public discontent with Congress has reached record levels, and the implications for incumbents in next year’s elections could be stark. The Republican Party is taking more of the blame than the Democrats for a do-nothing Congress.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Gingrich Leads, But Likely GOP Primary Voters Have Not Ruled Out Romney
Tepid Support for Both Leading Candidates
13 Dec 11Newt Gingrich has a substantial lead over Mitt Romney among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who say they are likely to vote in GOP primaries or caucuses. But a new survey finds that neither Gingrich nor Romney is drawing much in the way of strong support.
Pew Research Center

Twitter and the Campaign
How the Discussion on Twitter Varies from Blogs and News Coverage; Ron Paul’s Twitter Triumph
8 Dec 11The political conversation on Twitter is markedly different than that on blogs—and both are decidedly different than the political narrative presented by the mainstream press, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism that analyzed more than 20 million tweets, the online conversation and traditional news coverage about the campaign.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Illegal Immigration: Gaps Between and Within Parties
Public Split Over In-State Tuition for Illegal Immigrants
6 Dec 11The public continues to support tough measures to crack down on illegal immigration, but also a path to citizenship for those in the country illegally.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Unauthorized Immigrants: Length of Residency, Patterns of Parenthood
1 Dec 11Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s recent endorsement of a proposal to create a path for unauthorized immigrants to gain legal status if they have lived in the country for a long period of time has prompted renewed interest in the characteristics of this population. An analysis finds that nearly two-thirds of the 10.2 million unauthorized adult immigrants have lived in the U.S. for at least ten years.
Pew Hispanic Center

Modest Rise in Number Saying There Is “Solid Evidence” of Global Warming
More Moderate Republicans See Evidence of Warming
1 Dec 11There has been a modest increase over the past two years in the percentage of Americans who say there is solid evidence of global warming, although substantially fewer Americans say there is solid evidence of global warming than did so from 2006 to 2008.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

More Now Disagree with Tea Party – Even in Tea Party Districts
29 Nov 11Since the 2010 midterm elections, the Tea Party has not only lost support nationwide, but also in the congressional districts represented by members of the House Tea Party Caucus. And this year, the image of the Republican Party has declined even more sharply in these GOP-controlled districts than across the country at large.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Romney’s Mormon Faith Likely a Factor in Primaries, Not in a General Election
Religion and the 2012 Election
23 Nov 11About half of all voters, and 60% of evangelical Republicans, know that Mitt Romney is a Mormon. The former Massachusetts governor's religion has implications for his nomination run, but not for the general election should he be nominated as his party's standard bearer.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Lobbying for the Faithful
Religious Advocacy Groups in Washington, D.C.
21 Nov 11The number of organizations engaged in religious lobbying or religion-related advocacy in Washington, D.C. has increased roughly fivefold in the past four decades, from fewer than 40 in 1970 to more than 200 today. A new study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life examines the agenda, strategy, religious affiliation and structure of 212 religious advocacy groups operating in the nation's capital.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Obama Job Approval Edges Up, GOP Contest Remains Fluid
Lackluster Ratings for Republican Field Continue
17 Nov 11President Barack Obama's job rating has improved modestly over the past month, although few Americans approve of the way he is handling the economy. In addition, 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.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Religion and Politics: Profiles of the 2012 President Candidates and Their Beliefs
16 Nov 11Profiles of the religious backgrounds and beliefs of the 2012 presidential candidates.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Partisan Divide Over Alternative Energy Widens
Republicans View Gov’t Energy Investments as Unnecessary
10 Nov 11Public support for increased federal funding on research into alternative energy technology, including solar technology, has decreased substantially since the early months of the Obama administration, with nearly all the decline coming from Republicans and Republican-leaning independents.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

What the Public Knows - In Words and Pictures
7 Nov 11The Pew Research Center News IQ tests the public's knowledge of prominent people and major events in the news. The latest survey used multiple-choice items as well as photographs, maps and symbols in its 19 questions.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Generation Gap and the 2012 Election
Angry Silents, Disengaged Millennials
3 Nov 11In the last four national elections, generation has mattered more in American elections than it has in decades. This continues to be true as voters look ahead toward the 2012 general election. In a contest between President Obama and Mitt Romney, there is a 20-point gap in support for Obama between Millennials and the over-65 Silent generation.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Top One-Word Reaction to Cain is a Number: 9-9-9
More Negative Than Positive Words for Perry, Even Among Republicans
18 Oct 11When Americans are asked to come up with a one-word description of the three leading Republican presidential candidates, they most frequently describe Herman Cain with numbers: "9-9-9." But many struggle to come up with a word for Cain, Mitt Romney and Rick Perry.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Media Primary
How News Media and Blogs Have Eyed the Presidential Contenders During the First Phase of the 2012 Race
17 Oct 11Rick Perry received the most favorable coverage of any candidate for president during the first five months of the race, but now Herman Cain is enjoying that distinction. Meanwhile Barack Obama has had the roughest treatment, according to a new survey which combines traditional research methods and computer algorithmic technology to code the level and tone of news coverage.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Tea Party on Foreign Policy: Strong on Defense and Israel, Tough on China
7 Oct 11The Tea Party has emerged as a political force on domestic issues, but Republican supporters of the movement have a distinct approach to national security and the U.S. role in the world. Tea Party Republicans favor an assertive foreign policy, are strong supporters of Israel and take a hard line against illegal immigration.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Motivates Supporters, Opponents in Early 2012 Matchups
GOP Primary: Cain Surges, Perry Falls, Romney Stalls
6 Oct 11President Obama is running about even in hypothetical matchups against Mitt Romney and Rick Perry. In the race for the GOP presidential nomination, Mitt Romney continues to hold a slim lead, with Rick Perry placing second and Herman Cain moving up to third.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

GOP Candidates Hardly Household Names
Interest and Coverage On Par with 2008 Campaign
5 Oct 11Smaller percentages of Americans can name, without being prompted, the leading candidates in this year's Republican presidential race than in previous GOP races. At this stage of the campaign in the 1996, 2000 and 2008 campaigns, significantly more Americans could name Bob Dole, George W. Bush, and Rudolph Giuliani than they could for Mitt Romney or Rick Perry.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

No Consensus About Whether Nation Is Divided Into 'Haves' and 'Have-Nots'
29 Sep 11The public is divided on the question of whether the U.S. has become a society of economic 'haves' and 'have-nots," with 52% saying it is incorrect to think of the country this way while 45% say such a division exists.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Draws More Confidence than GOP Leaders on Deficit
Most Support Raising Taxes on High Incomes to Reduce Deficit
26 Sep 11While public confidence in President Obama on the budget deficit issue remains little changed since last December, confidence in congressional leaders, particularly Republican leaders in Congress, has plummeted.
Pew Research Center

Press Widely Criticized, But Trusted More than Other Sources of Information
Views of the News Media: 1985-2011
22 Sep 11Negative opinions about the performance of news organizations now equal or surpass all-time highs on nine of 12 core measures the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press has been tracking since 1985.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Ask the Expert
22 Sep 11Senior research staff answer questions from readers relating to all the areas covered by our seven projects, ranging from polling techniques and findings, to media, technology, religious, demographic and global attitudes trends.
Pew Research Center

More Now See GOP as Very Conservative
Views of Parties' Ideologies
12 Sep 11An increasing number of voters see the Republican Party as very conservative, while slightly fewer see the Democratic Party as very liberal compared to 2010.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Leadership Image Takes a Hit, GOP Ratings Decline
Continued Dissatisfaction with Republican Field
25 Aug 11For the first time in his presidency, significantly more Americans disapprove than approve of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president and and the margin of strong disapproval over strong approval has widened. But the public is also profoundly discontented with the political leadership of both parties, angry at the federal government and dissatisfied with the way things are going in the country.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Democrats Not Eager for an Obama Challenger
10 Aug 11Just 32% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say they would like other Democrats to take on Obama for the nomination, while 59% say they would not.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Views of Tea Party Supporters in Congress Grow More Negative
9 Aug 11More Americans now think that members of Congress who support the Tea Party are having a negative effect than said that in January, at the start of the new Congress.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Sees Budget Negotiations as “Ridiculous”, “Disgusting”, “Stupid"
Leaders’ Images Tarnished
1 Aug 11From liberal Democrats to Tea Party Republicans, there is broad public consensus that the budget negotiations of recent weeks can be summed up in words such as ridiculous, disgusting, stupid, and frustrating. Nationwide, 72% describe the recent negotiations in negative terms.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Loses Ground in 2012 Reelection Bid
In GOP, Romney Leads, Attentive Like Perry, Bachmann Most Visible
28 Jul 11The sizeable lead Barack Obama held over a generic Republican opponent in May has vanished. In the race to be the Republican who takes on Obama, Mitt Romney still leads, but Rick Perry is getting strong interest from the most engaged Republicans, and Michele Bachmann is the candidate Republicans have heard most about recently.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Debt Stalemate Top Story, But No Surge in Public Interest
Many Say Illegal Tactics by U.K. Media Likely Also Used Here
27 Jul 11The debt limit was the top story last week for both the public and the news media, although public interest in the federal budget deficit and national debt is not much higher than it was the previous week despite the approaching Aug. 2 deadline for raising the ceiling.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Wants Debt Ceiling Compromise, Expects a Deal Before Deadline
GOP Widely Viewed as "More Extreme in Its Positions"
26 Jul 11The public overwhelmingly favors a compromise in the debt ceiling standoff, with 68% saying they want lawmakers to agree to a deal even if they disagree with it. Republicans overall favor a compromise by a small majority, but those who identify with the tea party movement say their representatives should stick to their principles.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

GOP Makes Big Gains Among White Voters
Especially among the Young and Poor
22 Jul 11As the country enters into the 2012 presidential election cycle, the electorate's partisan affiliations have shifted significantly since Obama won office nearly three years ago. Notably, the GOP gains have occurred only among white voters.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Debt Limit Fight Tops News Interest, Coverage
Public Sees Debt Debate as Important, Hard to Understand
19 Jul 11An overwhelming majority of Americans agree that the debate over the nation's debt limit is important to people like themselves (90%), while nearly seven-in-ten (68%) say it is interesting.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

A Washington Standoff and a London Scandal Lead the News
19 Jul 11The continuing drama over the debt standoff in Washington last week drove coverage of the economy to its second highest mark in 2011, eclipsing covering of the presidential campaign. Press attention to the scandal surrounding Ruper Murdoch's media empire doubled in the past week.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Obama Draws More Confidence than Boehner, McConnell or Cantor on Debt Ceiling
18 Jul 11Americans have more confidence in President Obama than other key players to do the right thing on the debt issue, but that amounts to only about half of the public. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor gets the lowest vote of confidence, although that is partly because he is less well-known.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Split Evenly on Urgency of Debt Limit Deadline
18 Jul 11Most Republicans say that it will not be a major problem if the debt ceiling is not raised by Aug. 2, while the balance of opinion is the reverse among Democrats.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Interest in Campaign News On Par With 2007
No Partisan Gap in Attention to Campaign’s Early Stage
7 Jul 11While the focus this year has been on the GOP's race, Democrats express about as much interest in 2012 candidates as do Republicans.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama and Bachmann Drive Economic and Election Coverage
6 Jul 11The partisan differences stalling deficit reduction talks was the top story for the second week in a row, and coverage of the presidential race ranked second, fueled largely by the entry of Michele Bachmann into the race.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Are Republicans Ready Now for a Mormon President?
The Polls Show Trouble
5 Jul 11An important group within the Republican base, white evangelical Protestants, is more uncomfortable with the idea of a Mormon candidate than are other Republicans.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

U.S. Seen as Among the Greatest Nations, But Not Superior to All Others
America's Global Standing
30 Jun 11Despite the struggling economy and broad dissatisfaction with national conditions, the public has a positive view of the United States' global standing. But more think that the U.S. is one of the greatest countries in the world than say it stands above all other countries.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Views of Obama’s Approach for Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal Little Changed
27 Jun 11Following Barack Obama’s June 22 speech about the Afghanistan war, there has been little change in public opinion about the president’s plans for drawing down the number of U.S. combat troops in that country. A plurality still thinks withdrawal plan is about the right pace.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Pessimism about National Economy Rises, Personal Financial Views Hold Steady
Obama Job Rating Declines
23 Jun 11Opinions about the state of the economy remain grim, and President Obama has lost the bump in approval he received after the killing of Osama bin Laden. For all the negativity, however, there has been little change in people's assessments of their personal financial situations.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Economy, Weiner Top Public's News Interests
Romney Most Visible GOP Candidate
22 Jun 11Mitt Romney is clearly the candidate the public says they are hearing the most news about, while mentions of Sarah Palin have plummeted over the past two weeks.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

More Say GOP Would Be Mainly Responsible If No Increase In Debt Limit
20 Jun 11Partisans express strong opinions about which side would be most responsible if no agreement is reached before the debt limit is hit.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Ideological Chasm Over Interpreting Constitution
More from the Political Typology
20 Jun 11Half of Americans (50%) say the Court's rulings should be based on its understanding of what the U.S. Constitution means in current times, while about as many (45%) say rulings should be based on its understanding of what the Constitution meant as originally written.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Most Say Political Sex Scandals Due to Greater Scrutiny, Not Lower Morality
14 Jun 11A 57%-majority says elected officials just get caught more often because they are under greater scrutiny. About two-in-ten (19%), on the other hand, say elected officials have lower moral standards than ordinary Americans.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

More Blame Wars than Domestic Spending or Tax Cuts for Nation's Debt
Jobs Are Top Economic Worry, Deficit Concerns Rise
7 Jun 11Public concern about the budget deficit has increased since the end of last year. Proposals to reduce it by raising taxes on the rich and corporations are popular.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Opposition to Ryan Medicare Plan from Older, Attentive Americans
Few Have Heard 'A Lot' About Proposal to Change Medicare
6 Jun 11There is broad, and strong, opposition to the proposal among older Americans and those who are paying a lot of attention to the issue.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Republican Candidates Stir Little Enthusiasm
Assessing Candidate Traits
2 Jun 11The emerging GOP field draws tepid ratings, and among the well-known candidates only Romney has broad potential appeal (most say there is no chance they would vote for Palin). In a hypothetical matchup, Obama continues to hold a sizable lead against a generic Republican opponent.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Top Reaction to GOP Field -- "Unimpressed"
1 Jun 11Overall, 44% offer negative words to describe the Republican candidates, 19% use neutral words and just 12% use positive words.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

'Staunch Conservatives' Are Wary of Wall Street
More From The Political Typology
26 May 11Nearly three years after the financial crisis that sent the nation's economy into a tailspin, the public expresses mixed views of Wall Street, and more than half of Americans say that businesses make too much profit.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

More Concern about Raising Debt Limit than Government Default
24 May 11By a 48%-to-35% margin, Americans say their greater concern is that raising the debt limit would lead to higher government spending and a larger national debt than that not raising the limit would force the government into default and hurt the nation's economy.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

When Private Lives Become Public
16 May 11Generally, the issues matter most in voters' judgments about presidential candidates, but personality, character and values are not far behind -- and especially so in primary elections.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Most Say Homosexuality Should Be Accepted By Society
13 May 11While the public is divided over same-sex marriage, a majority of Americans (58%) say that homosexuality should be accepted, rather than discouraged, by society. But there are wide political and religious differences in opinions on this measure.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Bush Lost Battle Over the Surplus, But Won Tax Cut War
Public Opinion History
11 May 11Ten years ago this month Congress approved President Bush' first round of tax cuts. A look back at polling history examines what the public thought the cuts, the deficit and the economy a decade ago.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Bump Recedes a Bit
Post-bin Laden Update
9 May 11Barack Obama's job approval rating has fallen slightly since the day after Osama bin Laden's death was announced. But the balance of opinion regarding Obama's job performance remains more positive than it was in early April. There also continues to be more optimism about the U.S. achieving its goals in Afghanistan than there was prior to bin Laden's killing.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Political Typology
4 May 11Political attitudes have become more doctrinaire at both ends of the ideological spectrum. Yet at the same time, the growing center of the political spectrum is increasingly diverse. As an in-depth guide to the political landscape, the 2011 Political Typology sorts Americans into cohesive groups based on their values, political beliefs and party affiliation.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Deficit: More Concern, Less Optimism
27 Apr 11The public increasingly views the federal budget deficit as a major problem the country must address now, but is becoming less optimistic progress will be made on the issue.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Latino Electorate in 2010: More Voters, More Non-Voters
26 Apr 11More than 6.6 million Latinos voted in last year's election -- a record for a midterm. But Latino representation among the electorate remains below their representation in the general population. This gap is driven by two demographic factors: youth and non-citizenship.
Pew Hispanic Center

Trump Has Highest Profile Among Possible GOP Contenders
But Few Paying Attention to Presidential Race
20 Apr 11Among Republicans, 39% name Trump as the most visible presidential candidate -- more than all other possible GOP candidates combined. A majority of Americans, however, could not name anyone when asked which GOP candidate they have been hearing the most about.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Deficit Debate: Where the Public Stands
12 Apr 11In a number of surveys over the past several months, the Pew Research Center has shown where the public stands on the budget deficit -- the seriousness of the problem, views of competing policy proposals, and its confidence in the policymakers.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Budget Negotiations in a Word
All Sides Blamed After Close Call on Government Shutdown
11 Apr 11The public has an overwhelmingly negative reaction to the budget negotiations that narrowly avoided a government shutdown. A weekend survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Washington Post finds that "ridiculous" is the word used most frequently to describe the budget negotiations.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Tea Party: Better Known, Less Popular
More Negative Views Among Independents, Moderate Republicans
8 Apr 11As the Tea Party has evolved from a grassroots movement into a major force on Capitol Hill, public views of the movement have grown more negative. Slightly more disagree than agree with the Tea Party -- a reversal in public evaluations from a year ago.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Ratings Slip Amid Economic Anxieties
Public Has Far Lower Opinion of Congress
7 Apr 11About as many now approve (47%) as disapprove (45%) of the way Obama is handling his job with the president getting especially negative ratings on his handling of the budget deficit and the overall economy. The GOP has an advantage on the budget, while Democrats are favored on traits such as concern for average people, willingness to work with the opposition, and ethics. The parties run about even on jobs and health care.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Most Want Budget Compromise but Split on Who's to Blame for a Shutdown
Tea Party Reps Say Stand on Principle Even If It Means a Shutdown
4 Apr 11With a deadline approaching for a possible shutdown of the federal government, the public remains divided over whether congressional Republicans or the Obama administration would be more to blame if a shutdown occurs.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Political Knowledge Update
Well-Known: Clinton and Gadhafi; Little Known: Who Controls Congress
31 Mar 11The public is generally aware of basic facts about several recent national and international news stories, but current politics in Washington, including the balance of power, are a mystery to many. Young adults score best on education and Facebook.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Tests Well at Start of Reelection Run
No Frontrunner in Slow-Starting GOP Race
23 Mar 11Nearly half of registered voters say they would like to see Barack Obama reelected, while 37% say they would prefer to see a Republican candidate win the 2012 election. As for who that candidate will be, the GOP has yet to coalesce behind a candidate, but Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee lead the pack at this early stage.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Internet and Campaign 2010
17 Mar 11More than half of U.S. adults used the internet for political purposes in the last cycle, far surpassing the 2006 midterm contest. They hold mixed views about the impact of the internet: It enables extremism, while helping the like-minded find each other. It provides diverse sources, but makes it harder to find truthful sources.
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Republicans Are Losing Ground on the Deficit, But Obama's Not Gaining
Rising Prices Close in on Jobs as Top Economic Worry
16 Mar 11Far fewer Americans now say that Republicans in Congress have the better approach to the budget deficit than did so in November with the GOP losing ground among political independents as well as key elements of the its base, including Tea Party supporters. But the public is no more supportive of Barack Obama's approach to the budget deficit than it was in November.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Most Favor Government Role in Reducing Childhood Obesity
Conservative Republicans, Tea Party Supporters Disagree
8 Mar 11While a 57%-majority says the government should play a significant role in reducing obesity among children, few rate it a policy priority and there is strong opposition from conservatives and Tea Party supporters.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Who's Winning the Fight Over Public-Employee Unions?
7 Mar 11In its Topic A feature, the Washington Post asked several experts -- among them the Pew Research Center's Director of Survey Research Scott Keeter -- who's winning and who's losing in the fight over public-employee unions.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Shifting Political Winds
Frustration with Government but Less Anger; More Support Gay Marriage, Abortion
3 Mar 11Americans' are less discontent with the federal government but no more ready for political compromise. Views of Congress remain heavily negative, while Obama's ratings stay positive. On social issues, the public is, for the first time, evenly split on gay marriage, while support for legal abortion, legalized marijuana -- but not gun control -- have all risen.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Wisconsin Unions Favored Over Walker in Showdown
Obama, GOP Leaders Would Share Blame in Federal Government Shutdown
28 Feb 11By a 42%-31% margin, the public sides with public employee unions in their dispute with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. At the federal level, President Obama and GOP leaders would share blame for a government shutdown.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Favors Tougher Border Controls and Path to Citizenship
Most Oppose Ending "Birthright Citizenship"
24 Feb 11Americans see no contradiction in supporting both stepped-up border security and a way for people already in the U.S. illegally to gain citizenship. Most oppose plans to change the Constitution to bar the children of illegal immigrants from becoming citizens. The public, however, also supports Arizona's controversial immigration law.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Tea Party, Religion and Social Issues
23 Feb 11Tea Party supporters' conservative opinions extend beyond economic matters to social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. The Tea Party also draws disproportionate support from the ranks of white evangelical Protestants.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

In Showdown with Air Traffic Controllers, the Public Sided with Reagan
Public Opinion History
22 Feb 11The bitter fight over union rights in Wisconsin calls to mind a labor battle that helped define the first year of Ronald Reagan's presidency.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Labor Unions: Good for Workers, Not for U.S. Competitiveness
Business Ratings Also Near Historic Low
17 Feb 11Favorability ratings for labor unions remain at nearly their lowest level in a quarter century with virtually no differences in opinions about private and public sector unions. Yet the public now expresses similar opinions about business corporations whose rating is also near a historic low.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Remains Divided Over the Patriot Act
15 Feb 11Views of the Patriot Act have changed little since the Bush administration, with slightly more Americans currently saying it is a necessary security tool rather than a threat to civil liberties. Democrats are now somewhat more supportive of the law.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Tea Party's Hard Line on Spending Divides GOP
11 Feb 11Across a wide range of issues -- including entitlements, education, agriculture and energy -- Tea Party Republicans take a much harder line on cutting federal spending than do non-Tea Party Republicans, who are far more in sync with Democrats.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Rethinking Budget Cutting
Fewer Want Spending to Grow, But Most Cuts Remain Unpopular
10 Feb 11Views about federal spending are beginning to change. Americans no longer call for more spending on many popular programs. Still, support for cutting spending remains limited, though in a few cases it has risen noticeably. The public remains reluctant either to cut spending -- or to raise taxes - to balance state budgets.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Twitter and Social Networking in the 2010 Midterm Elections
27 Jan 11More than one-in-five online Americans engaged with the 2010 midterm elections or campaign on Twitter or social networking sites; Republicans -- especially Tea Party supporters -- caught up with Democrats in social media use.
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Watching Obama's State of the Union
24 Jan 11Most Americans say they plan to watch President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night. Still, a sizable majority sees the speech to Congress as no more important than in previous years.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Economy, Jobs Top Public's Policy Agenda
No Consensus about Future of Health Care Legislation
20 Jan 11Americans overwhelmingly cite the economy and jobs as the most important issues facing the president and new Congress. On health care reform, roughly as many would like to see legislation expanded as have it repealed.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Views of Gun Control -- A Detailed Demographic Breakdown
13 Jan 11Opinion about gun control has been split since April 2009, but this marked a substantial change in attitudes from previous years in which majorities of Americans consistently prioritized gun control over gun rights. See a breakdown of opinion about gun control across numerous demographic categories.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Ratings Remain Rock Steady
Moderate Republicans Less Happy with Party Leaders
13 Jan 11As has been the case since last summer, the public is evenly divided over Obama's job performance, while his personal image remains on balance positive. Opinion of the GOP congressional leadership, however, has become far more negative since the midterm elections.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Faith on the Hill
The Religious Composition of the 112th Congress
5 Jan 11Many analysts described the November 2010 midterm elections as a sea change, with Republicans taking control of the U.S. House of Representatives and narrowing the Democratic majority in the Senate. But this political overhaul appears to have had little effect on the religious composition of Congress, which is similar to the religious makeup of the previous Congress and of the nation.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

The 2010 Congressional Reapportionment and Latinos
5 Jan 11Hispanic voters are nearly three times more prevalent in states that gained congressional seats and Electoral College votes in the 2010 reapportionment than they are in states that lost seats.
Pew Hispanic Center

Mobile Politics 2010
28 Dec 10More than a quarter of American adults used their cell phones to learn about or participate in the 2010 midterm election campaign.
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Tax Deal Wins Broad Bipartisan Support
Liberal Democrats Are on Board
13 Dec 10The public views the tax agreement between Obama and congressional Republicans as beneficial to both the economy and their personal finances. There are virtually no partisan differences in opinions about the agreement.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Deficit Solutions Meet With Public Skepticism
Consensus in Principle, Resistance in Practice
9 Dec 10While an overwhelming number of Americans deem the deficit a major problem that must be dealt with now, few are willing to support specific proposals to address the issue. On dealing with the deficit, Obama has more credibility than Republican congressional leaders.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Mixed Views on Tax Cuts, Support for START and Allowing Gays to Serve Openly
7 Dec 10With the public giving subpar approval ratings to President Obama and continuing to express negative views of Congress and the political parties, it goes its own way on many of the remaining issues before the lame-duck Congress.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Voting in Foreign-Policy Oblivion
30 Nov 10While it is not unusual for foreign policy to take a back seat during difficult economic times, the absence of concern at a time when American troops are fighting a war in Afghanistan, and the threat of terrorism remains high is remarkable.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Growing Gap between Landline and Dual Frame Election Polls
Republican Vote Share Bigger in Landline-Only Surveys
22 Nov 10A new analysis of Pew Research Center pre-election surveys conducted this year finds that support for Republican candidates was significantly higher in samples based only on landlines than in dual frame samples that combined landline and cell phone interviews. The difference in the margin among likely voters this year is about twice as large as in 2008.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Knows Basic Facts about Politics, Economics, But Struggles with Specifics
Few Aware of Inflation Rate or TARP and Deficit Specifics
18 Nov 10Americans see the big picture when it comes to the changing balance of power in Washington, but is not sure which party controls which house of Congress or who the next speaker will be. Many have a good idea about the growth of the federal deficit, but the public struggles with questions about specifics of the budget, TARP and inflation.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Mixed Reactions to Republican Midterm Win, Policies
Split Opinions on How to Handle Key Issues
11 Nov 10Compared with four years ago, there is less excitement and optimism about the victorious party and its plans following the GOP's overwhelmingly successful Election Day. Also, while the public expresses more conservative views about the role of government than it did just two years ago, on major policy decisions that will arise in coming months, opinion is closely divided.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Parsing Election Day Media
How the Midterms Message Varied by Platform
8 Nov 10In today's news landscape, both mainstream and new media sources shape the narrative. A new PEJ study finds that no single unified message reverberated throughout the media universe in the wake of the November 2 voting and what one learned depended largely on where one got the news.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Religion in the 2010 Elections
3 Nov 10Following voting trends, white Protestants voted overwhelmingly Republican and religiously unaffiliated voters overwhelmingly supported Democrats. But Catholic voters swung to the GOP, and Republicans made gains in all three groups.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

The Latino Vote in the 2010 Elections
3 Nov 10For the first time ever, three Latino candidates -- all of them Republicans -- won top statewide offices. Despite these GOP wins, Latino voters supported Democrats by nearly a two-to-one margin.
Pew Hispanic Center

A Clear Rejection of the Status Quo, No Consensus about Future Policies
GOP Wins Big Despite Party's Low Favorability
3 Nov 10An older and much more conservative electorate than in 2006 and 2008 propelled the Republican Party to a broad victory in the 2010 midterm elections. But the vote was more repudiation than endorsement. Views of the Republican Party are no more positive than those of the Democratic Party.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

GOP Likely to Capture Control of House
Record Republican Engagement Drives High Turnout Forecast
31 Oct 10Republicans continue to hold a solid lead in preferences for Tuesday's midterm elections among likely voters -- enough so as to suggest they will win control of the House. The GOP owes its lead to strong backing from independents and record-levels of engagement among its partisans.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Party of Nonvoters
29 Oct 10There will almost certainly be far more nonvoters than voters this year. Nonvoters are younger, less educated and more financially stressed than likely voters. They are also significantly less Republican and more likely to approve of Obama's job performance.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Midterm Snapshot: Enthusiasm For Obama Reelection Bid Greater Than For Reagan In 1982
25 Oct 10Two years ahead of the next presidential election, the public is divided (47% yes, 42% no ) over whether Barack Obama should run for a second term. However, this is better than the outlook for Ronald Reagan in August 1982
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Continued Positive Marks for Government Anti-Terror Efforts
But Many Say U.S. Has Been Lucky in Avoiding Attack
22 Oct 10The federal government continues to get positive marks for efforts to reduce the threat of terrorism although the partisan gap has reversed since the Bush years. But many Americans say luck is a big reason why the U.S. has not suffered a major attack at home since 2001.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Independent Voters vs. Unions
22 Oct 10Union members are one voting bloc that continues to strongly back their party's candidates -- the downside of that support is that labor unions have fallen out of favor with the broader public, including independents who will cast the decisive votes in this year's elections.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Democrats Stirring but Fail to Match GOP Support, Engagement
Early Voting More Prevalent
21 Oct 10As the 2010 midterm elections near, Republican engagement and enthusiasm continue at record levels, outpacing even improved Democratic showings on these indicators. The growing popularity of early voting -- about a quarter of voters nationally say they plan to vote before Election Day -- gives Democrats less time to make up ground and there is no indication that their voter mobilization efforts are outmatching Republican efforts.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Demographic Profiles of Latino Eligible Voters in 27 States
15 Oct 10Newly released statistical profiles provide key demographic and socioeconomic information about Latino eligible voters in 27 states. An interactive feature provides key eligible voter statistics in the nation's 50 states and the District of Columbia along with Hispanic population estimates in 435 congressional districts.
Pew Hispanic Center

Cell Phones and Election Polls: An Update
13 Oct 10Data from Pew Research Center polling this year suggest that the landline-only bias is as large, and potentially even larger, than it was in 2008.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Lagging Youth Enthusiasm Could Hurt Democrats in 2010
7 Oct 10Millennials continue to be among the strongest backers of Democratic candidates this fall, though their support for the Democratic Party has slipped since 2008. But young voters have given far less thought to the coming elections than have older voters, and this gap is larger than in previous midterms.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Gay Marriage Gains More Acceptance
Majority Continues to Favor Gays Serving Openly in Military
6 Oct 10For the first time in 15 years of Pew Research Center polling, fewer than half oppose same-sex marriage, though, support (42%) remains below opposition (48%). The shift in favor of gay marriage has been broad-based, occurring across many demographic, political and religious groups.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Possible Negatives for Candidates: Vote for Bank Bailout, Palin Support
6 Oct 10Two factors have emerged as major potential negatives for congressional candidates: TARP and Sarah Palin. Americans are split over whether they are more likely to vote for candidates who supported the health care law.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Latinos and the 2010 Elections
Strong Support for Democrats; Weak Voter Motivation
5 Oct 10In a year when support for Democratic candidates has eroded, the party's standing among Latinos appears as strong as ever. However, Hispanic voters appear to be less motivated than others to go to the polls.
Pew Hispanic Center

Democrats Struggle to Avoid Wipeout from Electoral Wave
5 Oct 10Less than two years ago, Democrats basked in the glow of an impressive political triumph. Today, they are contemplating the very real prospect of losing their House majority. What happened?
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Most See Washington Dominated By Partisan Conflict
Lower Ratings for Leaders of Both Parties in Congress
4 Oct 10One month before the midterm elections, Americans offer harsh judgments on Republicans and Democrats in Washington with roughly three-quarters saying partisans have been bickering more than usual and approval ratings for leaders of both parties in Congress matching long-time lows.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Viewed as Doing Better than GOP Leaders in Explaining Vision
27 Sep 10With just over a month to go before the midterm elections, the latest Congressional Connection poll finds that the public by a wide margin says Barack Obama has done a better job than Republican congressional leaders in explaining his plans and vision for the country.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

A Static America: A Contrarian View of Current U.S. Public Opinion Trends
Special to the Pew Research Center
27 Sep 10With predictions of a wave of Republican victories come the November elections, there has been talk of a sea change in American politics. While acknowledging that changes in political and economic conditions can produce substantial shifts in the partisan makeup of governments at all levels, the author, a long time Pew Research consultant, argues that such transformations are rarely the product of major shifts in basic American values.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Independents Oppose Party in Power ... Again
More Conservative, More Critical of National Conditions
23 Sep 10For the third national election in a row, independent voters may be poised to vote out the party in power. Political independents now favor GOP candidates by about as large a margin as they backed Barack Obama in 2008. The "independent vote," however, is in no way monolithic; this is not surprising given that most independents are recent refugees from the two major parties.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

How You Feel About Midterms Depends on Your Party
GOP More Engaged, Optmistic, Angry About Elections
22 Sep 10Republicans are more likely to say this year's election is more important than most and that news coverage of politics makes them angry. They are also more upbeat about their preferred candidates' chances in November than are Democrats or independents.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Little Compromise on Compromising
20 Sep 10The latest Congressional Connection poll finds most in the public are in no mood for political compromising. Also, Americans split evenly on which political party could best handle the economy while four-in-ten say eliminating tax cuts for the wealthy would hurt the economy.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Taxed Enough Already?
Despite Anti-Government Sentiment, More Americans Say They Pay a Fair Share of Taxes
20 Sep 10Despite all the animosity aimed at Washington, one usual political punching bag is actually not seen as villainous as it once was: taxes. More say they pay about the right amount in taxes than say they pay more than their fair share.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Religious Beliefs and Political Issues
17 Sep 10Religious beliefs continue to be influential in shaping some Americans' views about social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. Far fewer cite religion as a top influence on issues such as immigration, the environment and poverty.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Mixed Views of GOP Proposals on Entitlements
GOP Still Viewed as Leaderless -- Even by Republicans
14 Sep 10While a majority of Americans favors allowing changes to Social Security, there is very little support for replacing Medicare with a voucher system. Also, the public continues to see no clear leader atop the GOP.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Americans Spending More Time Following the News
Ideological News Sources: Who Watches and Why
12 Sep 10Americans are increasingly integrating new technologies into their news consumption habits. As a result, the average time spent with the news is as high as it was in the mid-1990s.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Remains Conflicted Over Islam
24 Aug 10Favorable views of Islam have declined since 2005, but a plurality still says Islam does not encourage violence more than other religions. More Americans agree with those who object to the building of the center in New York, but a majority also say that Muslims should have the same rights as other religious groups to build houses of worship.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Growing Number of Americans Say Obama is a Muslim
Religion, Politics and the President
19 Aug 10More than a year into his presidency, 18% of Americans say that Barack Obama is a Muslim. A plurality say they do not know what religion he follows. The view that president is a Muslim is highest among his political opponents. Yet the public also generally says Obama handles his religious beliefs appropriately.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Religion in the 2008 Presidential Election
An Analysis of 2008 Exit Polls
11 Aug 10An analysis of newly released exit poll data finds that Barack Obama succeeded in attracting a larger share of the vote among some religious groups than John Kerry did in 2004. The contours of religion and politics, however, were largely the same in 2008 as in 2004.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

The Vote for Congress: GOP Fares Better with Whites, Men, Independents and Seniors
Who's Moving, Who's Staying: 2006-2010
10 Aug 10While voter preferences for the midterm elections remain closely divided, Republicans now enjoy advantages among typically loyal voting blocs that wavered in 2006 and are doing better with key swing groups. Americans who intend to vote GOP this fall are also far more engaged in the campaign this year.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Invisible Court
3 Aug 10While legal scholars analyze Kagan's possible impact on the "Roberts court," most Americans have no idea who "Roberts" is. And as experts debate if the court has become more conservative, the public sees the court moving in the opposite direction.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Earmarks Could Help Candidates in Midterms; Palin and Tea Party Connections Could Hurt
Energy: Public Backs a Wide Range of Goals, Policies
2 Aug 10Across party lines, the public sees earmarking by their congressional candidates as more of an asset than a liability. Americans are divided on the value of Obama in November, while both Palin's support and Tea Party affiliation are seen by more as negative than positive. On energy, public backs a wide range of goals and policies.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama's Policies Seen as Better than Bush's for Improving the Economy
Both Parties Doing Poor Job Working Together, Offering Solutions
26 Jul 10As Congress gears up for debate over the tax cuts passed when Bush was president, the public is divided, with roughly equal numbers in favor of keeping all of Bush's tax cuts, repealing only those for wealthy Americans, or scrapping them entirely.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Government Economic Policies Seen as Boon for Banks and Big Business, Not Middle Class or Poor
19 Jul 10Partisan groups disagree sharply about many aspects of the government's anti-recession policies -- with two notable exceptions: Large majorities of independents, Republicans and Democrats all say large banks and financial institutions got the most help while few in each group say the policies have done much for the poor.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Voters Rate Political Parties' Ideologies
16 Jul 10In broad terms, voters view the Democratic Party's ideology as the opposite of the Republican Party's: 58% say the Democratic Party is either very liberal or liberal while 56% say the GOP is either very conservative or conservative.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Political Knowledge Update
Well Known: Twitter; Little Known: TARP
15 Jul 10Pew's latest news knowledge poll finds that an overwhelming proportion of Americans can correctly identify Twitter, but relatively few know which president launched the government's bailout of banks and financial institutions.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public's Wish List for Congress -- Jobs and Deficit Reduction
12 Jul 10Fully 80% say it is very important for Congress to pass legislation to address the job situation; nearly half of public disapproves of challenge to Arizona's immigration law and health care legislation.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Republicans Less Positive Toward Supreme Court
Public Views of Congress Recover Slightly
9 Jul 10Compared with July 2007, fewer people view the court as conservative and more see it as liberal. Americans are less negative toward Congress, and there has been an improvement in opinions of the Democratic Party.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Voting Intentions Even, Turnout Indicators Favor GOP
Older Americans Eager to Vote ... Republican, That Is
1 Jul 10Voters younger than age 30 favor the Democratic candidate in their district by a wide margin (57% to 32%), yet only half of young voters say they are absolutely certain to vote. Voters ages 50 and older favor the Republican candidate in their district by double digits (11 points) and roughly eight-in-ten (79%) say they are absolutely certain to vote.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Proud Patriots -- and Harsh Critics of Government
1 Jul 10Nearly all Americans consider themselves patriotic and voice pride in being American. But many of those who voice strong patriotism and pride in the country also are highly critical of the federal government and its political leaders.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama's Rating Steady Despite Tough Environment
Mixed Views on Immigration Policy
24 Jun 10While facing a controversial health care bill, a high jobless rate and the largest environmental disaster in the nation's history, the president's approval rating (48%) hasn't moved this year. A majority now opposes increased offshore drilling, but a large partisan split remains. Americans back Arizona's tough immigration law, but also support a "path to citizenship."
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Sees a Future Full of Promise and Peril
Life in 2050: Amazing Science, Familiar Threats
22 Jun 10Most Americans envision a future where cancer is cured and space travel is for everyone. But they also see a world beset by war, energy shortages and a terrorist attack with nuclear weapons. Still, most see a better future for themselves and the nation over the next four decades.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Uncertain How to Improve Job Situation
21 Jun 10There is broad public agreement that past government policies intended to address the financial crisis and recession have not worked. At the same time, there is very little agreement about what the government should do now to deal with the nation’s biggest economic concern -- the job situation.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Fueling Both Sides of the Energy Debate
14 Jun 10Americans want expanded exploration and development of coal, oil and gas in the U.S. but also want limits on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. Michele Obama's favorability stays strong but the president's and Sarah Palin's popularity slip.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Doubts About Obama's Economic Policies Rose Over the Last Year
Congressional Connection Poll
8 Jun 10For the first time, slightly more say the impact of Obama's economic policies has been negative rather than positive; many see recovery as distant; views on financial reforms are mixed.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Seniors are Strongest Advocates for Change in 2010
3 Jun 10Older Americans have a more negative view of incumbents, are more likely to vote for a candidate with no elective experience and less likely to support those who compromise than are Americans younger than age 65.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

What Has America Talking?
26 May 10The news topics that come up frequently in conversation have changed markedly in recent years. Check out what's being traded around the nation's water coolers.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

What Kind of Candidates are Voters Looking for in November?
Neither Party Has Edge on Economy
25 May 10Americans are less likely to vote for a candidate who supported TARP, more likely to back one who compromises, and split on health care supporters. Neither party has an advantage on the economy, but the GOP has improved on several issues. Sharp rise in BP criticism over the oil spill.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public's Priorities for Congress: Jobs and Energy Top Immigration
Congressional Connection Poll
18 May 10Congress's ratings are abysmal; Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan draws mixed ratings but half have no opinion.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

United We Stand ... on Technology
5 May 10Americans are widely dissatisfied not only with government but with most major institutions. One notable exception: the technology industry.
Pew Research Center

"Socialism" Not So Negative, "Capitalism" Not So Positive
A Political Rhetoric Test
4 May 10Reactions to words and phrases frequently used in political discourse reveal some surprises: Among the young, "capitalism" and "socialism" are rated about equally; "militia" scores poorly among all groups.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Pessimistic Public Doubts Effectiveness of Stimulus, TARP
Republicans Draw Even With Democrats on Most Issues
28 Apr 10As has been the case for most of the past two years, about nine-in-ten rate national economic conditions as only fair or poor. As a political consequence, the Democratic Party has lost ground to the Republican Party on a wide range of issues, including the job situation.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

How Americans Interact with Government Online
27 Apr 10Fully 82% of internet users (61% of all Americans) looked for information or completed a transaction on a government website in the past year. Most government website visitors were happy with their experience, accomplishing everything or much of what they wanted to do.
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Hiding in Plain Sight: Kennedy to Brown
Press Coverage of the 2010 Massachusetts Senate Special Election
20 Apr 10A new media analysis finds that after months of little interest, polling, not reporting, was the focus of intense press coverage in the race to succeed Sen. Kennedy.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Distrust, Discontent, Anger and Partisan Rancor
The People and Their Government
18 Apr 10By almost every conceivable measure Americans are less positive and more critical of government these days.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Tea Party's Effect on the Midterms?
15 Apr 10If you are a Republican, what's not to like about the Tea Party movement? From this vantage point, a number of risks seem possible, if not probable.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Going Negative in November -- Can it Win for the GOP?
7 Apr 10In its Topic A feature for Sunday April 4, 2010, the Washington Post asked several experts -- among them the Pew Research Center's Director of Survey Research Scott Keeter -- whether the Republican Party would win in November with a negative strategy.
Pew Research Center

Gun Control Splits America
23 Mar 10The public is divided over whether state and local governments should be able to pass laws banning the sale and possession of handguns as well as whether it is more important to protect gun owners' rights or control gun ownership.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Congress in a Wordle
Dysfunctional, Corrupt, Selfish....
22 Mar 10Dysfunctional. Corrupt. Selfish. It's not hard to guess what these words are describing. Examine a word cloud to see what the public thinks of Congress.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public's Economic Woes Persist
Health Care Reform -- Can't Live With It, or Without It
18 Mar 10Americans don't favor the current health care reform legislation, but most opponents prefer a new bill to no bill and more see their health care costs rising without reform than with it. Nearly everyone gives the national economy a negative rating; 70% of Americans say they have faced one or more job or financial-related problems in the past year
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Deficit Concerns Rise, But Solutions Are Elusive
GOP's Lead on Handling Deficit Mirrors '94
10 Mar 10While an increasing number of Americans cite addressing the government's red ink as a priority, there is not much support for spending cuts, regardless of party.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Millennials, the Midterms and the Political Landscape Beyond
24 Feb 10At a conference at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010, Pew Research Center analysts and outside experts discussed research findings about the Millennial generation, the American teens and twenty-somethings now making the passage into adulthood. The last of three sessions addressed the question of whether Millennials, who rocked the vote in 2008, will show up at the polls this November and how they may shape the political landscape beyond?
Pew Research Center

Millennials, Media and Information
24 Feb 10At a conference at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010, Pew Research Center analysts and outside experts discussed research findings about the Millennial generation, the American teens and twenty-somethings now making the passage into adulthood. In this second of three sessions experts on media and technology examine how Millennials are seeking, sharing and creating information.
Pew Research Center

Portrait of the Millennials
24 Feb 10At a conference at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010, Pew Research Center analysts and outside experts discussed research findings about the Millennial generation, the American teens and twenty-somethings now making the passage into adulthood. This first of three sessions provided a broad overview of the Millennial generation, examining their demographics, values, attitudes and behaviors, and discussing the results of the new study.
Pew Research Center

The Millennials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change.
24 Feb 10A new national survey focuses on American teens and twenty-somethings who are making the passage into adulthood at the start of a new millennium. These young people have begun to forge their generational personality: confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and open to change.
Pew Research Center

Favorability Ratings of Labor Unions Fall Sharply
23 Feb 10Favorable views of labor unions have plummeted since 2007, amid growing public skepticism about unions' purpose and power. Currently, 41% say they have a favorable opinion of labor unions while about as many (42%) express an unfavorable opinion.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Democrats' Gloom and Doom Is Premature
22 Feb 10While there is every reason to believe that the party is in trouble and will lose seats this year, there are no solid data that would justify a view shared by many here in Washington that the Democrats are destined to lose control of the House.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Democrats' Edge Among Millennials Slips
A Pro-Government, Socially Liberal Generation
18 Feb 10The "Millennial Generation" of young voters played a big role in the resurgence of the Democratic Party in the 2006 and 2008 elections, but their attachment to the Democratic Party weakened markedly over the course of 2009.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Midterm Election Challenges for Both Parties
Obama's Ratings Are Flat, Wall Street's Are Abysmal
12 Feb 10Opinions of the Republican Party have improved significantly but still far more people blame the GOP for the poor economy than blame the Democrats. Anti-incumbent sentiment runs high: three-in-ten don't want to see their current representative reelected. Financial institutions remain a major target of public anger.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Millennials' Lukewarm Support For Health Care Bills
Many Are Uninsured Yet Most Are Unengaged
4 Feb 10A third of Millennials lack health care insurance, and their support for health care reform exceeds that of older generations, but they have tuned out of the debate in Washington.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Inviting Centrists to the Tea Party
1 Feb 10The Tea Party movement may well attract more supporters as it becomes better known although divisions among Republicans and independents' wariness of political extremes may limit its growth.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Knowledge: Senate Legislative Process a Mystery to Many
Political News IQ Update
28 Jan 10In the latest Pew Research News IQ Quiz, Americans answered on average fewer than six out of 12 questions correctly. The public struggled with most of the political questions, and despite expressing strong interest in the health care debate, few know how many votes it takes to break a filibuster or how many GOP votes the bill got in the Senate.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

It's All About Jobs, Except When It's Not
Unemployment and Presidential Approval Ratings 1981-2009
26 Jan 10A look at the connection between the rise and fall of joblessness and the political fortunes of past presidents in the modern era is instructive although the lessons to be drawn are far from crystal clear. Thus far, only Ronald Reagan’s ratings in his first term have borne as close a connection as have Obama’s to changes in the unemployment rate.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Health Care Reform Now Seen on Life Support
Public Still Following Haiti News Closely
26 Jan 10The public’s take on the chances that health care legislation will be enacted this year shifted dramatically after Scott Brown’s Jan. 19 victory in Massachusetts. About two-thirds (67%) now say they do not think a health care reform bill will be passed into law this year.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Public's Political Agenda
25 Jan 10Strengthening the nation's economy and improving the job situation continue to top nation's priority list. However, shifts have occurred on the priority give to two issues: energy (down) and the budget deficit (up). Extremely large partisan gaps exist on the importance of health care and global warming.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Michelle Obama's Strong Personal Image
Views of Recent First Ladies
21 Jan 10The first lady is more popular than either her husband or her two immediate predecessors.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Image Unscathed By Terrorism Controversy
Few See Personal Upside to Health Care Reform
14 Jan 10The government's ratings for reducing the threat of terrorism have slipped, and Americans are increasingly more concerned with safety than civil liberties. Domestically, few see an upside to health care reform, and the national mood remains grim. Yet President Obama's political standing is little affected, and his personal image remains positive.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama's 2010 Challenge: Wake Up Liberals, Calm Down Independents
17 Dec 09His approval has slipped, but is not much different from where Reagan stood at this point in his term. But the public's conservative shift could be trouble for the president.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

At Year's End, Nation Remains Divided
Splits on Obama, Afghanistan and Health Care
16 Dec 09As has been the case since October, roughly half the country approves of President Obama's job. The nation is also divided on Afghanistan and health care. One rare point of agreement, though, is that the economy remains poor.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

GOP Seen as Friendlier to Religion than Democrats
Obama Seen as Friendlier than His Party
1 Dec 09The Democrats' image with respect to religion fell sharply among groups inclined to dislike their party's politics. Obama, though, is seen as friendlier to religion than is his party. Both fare better than do Hollywood, the media and scientists.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Few in Public Follow Palin Closely
Health Care Remains Viewers' Top Story
25 Nov 09Most Americans (52%) say they have been hearing too much about Palin, far more than said so after her resignation in July (38%).
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Where the Public Stands on Immigration Reform
23 Nov 09Polling has found significant support for both tougher enforcement and the so-called "path to citizenship," but several factors suggest that a new push for reform could be a difficult one.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Abortion Plays Small Role in Health Reform Opposition
Though Most Oppose Public Funding
19 Nov 09While most Americans oppose government funding of abortion, concern about abortion funding plays only a small role in driving opposition to the health care reform legislation. If anything, opposition to reform has declined, with currently 42% in favor and 39% opposed to the health care proposals in Congress.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

How the Economy May Sway 2010 Governors' Races
18 Nov 09The tax hikes that so many states levied to plug holes in their recession-ravaged budgets this year could endanger some incumbent governors' careers in 2010 when 37 gubernatorial contests are at stake.
Special to the Pew Research Center

A Year Out, Widespread Anti-Incumbent Sentiment
Obama's Afghanistan Rating Declines
11 Nov 09The mood of America is glum. Most are dissatisfied with the state of the nation, economic conditions, personal finances and an increasing number say the war in Afghanistan is not going well. Still, a majority continues to approve of Obama's job as president.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Partisanship and Cable News Audiences
30 Oct 09In recent years, Republican viewers have migrated increasingly to Fox News but Democrats comprise a larger share of the Fox News audience than Republicans do of CNN's audience.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Fewer Americans See Solid Evidence of Global Warming
Modest Support for “Cap and Trade” Policy
22 Oct 09There has been a sharp decline in the percentage of Americans who say there is solid evidence that global temperatures are rising. Still, there is more support than opposition for cap and trade policy.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

But What Do the Polls Show?
How public opinion surveys came to play a major role in policymaking and politics
14 Oct 09Perhaps the best way to think about public opinion and its relationship to politics and policymaking is that the American public is typically short on facts, but often long on judgment.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Most Still Oppose Gay Marriage, but Support for Civil Unions Continues to Rise
9 Oct 09A 57% majority of Americans support civil unions, continuing a long-term trend of increasing support, but a majority still opposes same-sex marriage. The issue continues to sharply divide religious and political groups.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Health Care: Politics in the Pews
Religious Groups Weigh In on Health Care Reform
2 Oct 09Many religious organizations have taken on the look of political campaigns, as advocates for and against health care reform preach their politics.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Support for Abortion Slips
Issue Ranks Lower on the Agenda
1 Oct 09The election of President Obama may have moved the needle on abortion opinion. Opposition to abortion is up among Republicans, while opinion has changed little among the president’s strongest backers. As the importance of abortion as an issue has declined among liberals, opposition from conservatives has become more firm.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Obama's Image: Less Glittering But Still Positive
Public Now Evenly Divided Over Health Care Proposals
17 Sep 09While ratings of Obama's personal traits have fallen since post-inauguration highs, impressions of the president remain overwhelmingly positive. Post speech, the public is narrowly split over health care proposals.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Health Care Debate Seen as "Rude and Disrespectful"
Debate Continues to Dominate Public Interest
16 Sep 09Health care reform has been the dominant news story since late July, but it now has a 29-point advantage over the second most closely followed story. But most Americans say the tone of the debate has been negative.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama's Approval Ratings Slide:
By the Numbers

4 Sep 09In April, 62% of the public approved of Barack Obama's performance as president, but in August, just four months later, 52% approved. Obama's approval rating has declined across nearly all major demographic and political groups.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Congressional Favorability Falls to 24-Year Low; Dems Lose Midterm Advantage
Independents Move to GOP in Midterm Matchup
2 Sep 09Americans’ opinion of Congress is at a 24-year low, and as a result the party in power has lost its electoral edge. Voters split between the Democrats and GOP in a 2010 matchup, but Democrats are still favored on most issues.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Civic Engagement Online: Politics as Usual
1 Sep 09The internet is not changing the character of civic engagement, as participation remains the domain of those with high levels of income and education. However, there are hints that forms of civic engagement anchored in blogs and social networking sites could alter long-standing patterns.
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Public Souring on Washington
Democratic Party Favorability Falls Sharply
19 Aug 09More say the president and GOP leaders are not working together, as Obama's approval inches lower and the Democratic Party's favorability falls sharply. Opinion about the economy remains negative with personal financial assessments becoming more bearish.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Would Americans Welcome Medicare if it Were Being Proposed in 2009?
19 Aug 09Much of the opposition to health care reform today is being fueled by anti-government sentiment that did not exist during the mid-1960's.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Opinion of State Governments Drops With the Economy, Budget Gaps
New Administration Changes Partisan Views of Federal Government
11 Aug 09The falloff in favorable views has been greater in states with the largest budget gaps. Also, the new administration has shifted partisan views of the federal government dramatically.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Supports Targeting Al Qaeda Leaders, Wants Congress in the Loop
7 Aug 09Americans generally support allowing the Central Intelligence Agency to assassinate al Qaeda leaders, but opinions are more mixed about whether the CIA should have such a program without first informing Congress.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Many Fault Media Coverage of Health Care Debate
6 Aug 09As the fight in Washington over health care reform continues to dominate public attention and media coverage, most Americans are critical of the way news organizations are explaining key elements of the debate.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Republican Party’s Dilemma
6 Aug 09The Sotomayor vote represents the dilemma the GOP faces coming out of its 2008 and 2006 election defeats: how to keep its base happy on the one hand and broaden its appeal to women, Latinos and young people, on the other.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama's Ratings Slide Across the Board
Public Supports Health Care Goals, But Not Current Proposals
30 Jul 09Support for Obama's job performance -- as well as his handling of health care, the economy and deficit--has fallen, but most remain confident his policies will be positive in the long term. The public supports many of his health care goals but opposes many proposals being debated in Congress.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Media Won't Quit on Palin, Jackson
Celebrities Dominate News Agenda
14 Jul 09With the assistance of plenty of media self-examination, two polarizing celebrities drove the news agenda.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Public Praises Science; Scientists Fault Public, Media
Scientific Achievements Less Prominent Than a Decade Ago
9 Jul 09A new survey of scientists and the public finds large majorities holding positive views of science. But scientists are concerned about Americans' ignorance of scientific findings and large differences exist between the two groups' views on evolution and global warming. Still, overwhelming percentages in both groups think that government investments in science and technology pay off in the long run.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama's Favorite Theologian? A Short Course on Reinhold Niebuhr
26 Jun 09What is it about the famous public theologian that prompted Obama to describe him as one of his "favorite philosophers"?
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Perils of Polling in Election '08
25 Jun 09Despite such challenges as a growing wireless-only population, possible racially-related response bias and greater-than-usual difficulties in forecasting turnout, polllsters' methods were evidently adequate to the task.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Pollwatch: Comparing the Polls on Spending and the Deficit
24 Jun 09How the question is phrased has a clear impact on whether the public rates deficit reduction or stimulus spending more important.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Who's Your Favorite Republican?
Romney's Ratings Up; Palin Still Polarizing
24 Jun 09While Sarah Palin is a GOP favorite, it is Mitt Romney who now enjoys a positive balance of opinion among the general public. Newt Gingrich remains a divisive figure and Michale Steele is still mostly unknown.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama's High Ratings Hold Despite Some Policy Concerns
18 Jun 09A solid majority of Americans continue to approve of Barack Obama’s job performance, although they express mixed views of several of his policies. Only about one-in-five Americans (21%) say the U.S. is less safe from terrorism under the Obama administration than under the Bush administration
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Cockeyed Optimists or Self-Fulfilling Prophets?
17 Jun 09Even while their personal worries have deepened, Americans have been feeling more upbeat about the national economy's prospects and less concerned about rising inequality. What underlies this trend and can it be sustained?
Pew Research Center

Gen Next Squeezed By Recession, But Most See Better Times Ahead
Young Are More Liberal in Views of Gov’t, Traditional Values
5 Jun 09While the economic downturn is falling quite heavily on younger Americans, their overall outlook remains optimistic. A new survey also finds Generation Next expressing more liberal views when compared with older age cohorts as well as evidence of increased political engagement.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

First Impressions of Sotomayor Mostly Positive
Press Coverage of Nomination Seen as Fair
4 Jun 09While a plurality of Americans say coverage of the nomination has been fair, Republicans are significantly more likely to say it has not been critical enough.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Sotomayor, and Race, Drive the News
40% of the Stories About the Judge Referenced Her Ethnicity
2 Jun 09Sotomayor was the first person to exceed Obama as the lead newsmaker since his inauguration; 40% of the stories about Sotomayor's nomination referenced her ethnicity.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Public Backs Affirmative Action, But Not Minority Preferences
2 Jun 09The public has generally been supportive of affirmative action programs, but is decidedly opposed to the idea of providing preferential treatment to minorities.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Independents Take Center Stage in the Obama Era
Trends in Political Values and Core Attitudes: 1987-2009
21 May 09Centrism has emerged as a dominant factor in public opinion as the Obama administration begins. Republicans and Democrats are even more divided than in the past, while the growing political middle is steadfastly mixed in its beliefs about government, the free market and other values that underlie views on contemporary issues and policies. Both political parties have lost adherents since the election and an increasing number of Americans identify as independents.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Pig Flu and Politics Clog the Blogs
8 May 09Bloggers last week debated whether the worldwide swine flu outbreak was a serious public health menace or a case of excessive media hype. And Arlen Specter’s change of parties stirred a partisan debate over the state of the GOP.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Top of the Mind Impressions of Obama
The New President ... In a Word
7 May 09An interactive graphic shows how perceptions of the president have changed over the past few months.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Catholics, Obama and Notre Dame
30 Apr 09Most Catholics aware of the controversy support the University of Notre Dame's decision to invite President Barack Obama to speak and receive an honorary degree at its May 17 commencement, even though he supports abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research. But a new poll also finds a deep division on this issue between the most observant Catholics and those who are less observant
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Public Takes Conservative Turn on Gun Control, Abortion
30 Apr 09Public attitudes on two contentious national issues -- gun control and abortion -- have moved in a more conservative direction over the past year. In both cases, the changes have largely been driven by shifts in attitudes among men.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Religious Dimensions of the Torture Debate
30 Apr 09Analysis of a new Pew Research survey finds--along with other differences in attitudes toward the use of torture among the four major U.S. religious traditions--that white mainline Protestants are the most likely to say that the torture of suspected terrorists can never be justified.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Dissecting the 2008 Electorate: Most Diverse in U.S. History
Black women had the highest voter turnout rate in November's election -- a first.
30 Apr 09Demographic changes in America have increased the number of eligible non-white voters, but the racial and ethnic diversity of last year's electorate was also driven by substantially higher levels of participation by black, Hispanic and Asian voters.
Pew Research Center

Obama Coverage:Too Personal but Not Too Favorable
Majorities Say Right Amount on Leadership and Policies
29 Apr 09Most Americans say the news media has devoted too much coverage to Barack Obama's family and personal life, but the right amount to his leadership style and policy proposals.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

GOP Party Identification Slips Nationwide and in Pennsylvania
No Indication of Further Democratic Gains
29 Apr 09The Republican Party has continued to lose adherents in 2009. In combined surveys since the start of the year, fewer than a quarter (23%) of Americans identify as Republicans. In total, the GOP has lost roughly a quarter of its base over the past five years. But these losses have not translated into substantial Democratic gains.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Media Metric: Obama's 100 Days of Press
More Positive Coverage than Clinton or Bush
28 Apr 09Obama is getting much more positive press coverage than Bush or Clinton. One reason is that he is getting good reviews in both front-page stories and editorials.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Support for Free Trade Recovers Despite Recession
28 Apr 09Despite the economic recession, support for free trade agreements is up by nine percentage points -- from 35% to 44% -- putting positive opinions of trade back in line with long-term trends. People in low-income families and Democrats are much more supportive of trade now than they were a year ago.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama at 100 Days: Strong Job Approval, Even Higher Personal Ratings
Better Ratings for Foreign Policy than Domestic Issues
23 Apr 09As he approaches the 100-day mark of his presidency, Barack Obama’s job approval ratings are higher than those of his most recent predecessors. However, the 44th president is even more distinguished by his strong personal popularity.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Fox News Stands Out as "Too Critical" of Obama
No One Network Singled Out as Too Easy
22 Apr 09Top newsmakers included an allegedly murderous Sunday school teacher, a highly placed dog, a startling new singing sensation and a retiring sportscaster.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Will Obama Ride Reagan's Ratings Roller Coaster?
22 Apr 09A close look at reactions to Reagan's first few months in office provides striking parallels with what polls now find about opinions of Obama. And a consideration of the Reagan experience may well give some clues as to what lies ahead for the 44th president.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Internet's Role in Campaign 2008
15 Apr 09Three-quarters (74%) of internet users went online during the 2008 election to take part in, or get news and information about the 2008 campaign. This represents 55% of the entire U.S. adult population.
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Obama's Trip Closely Followed
More Women Than Men Track Royal Visit
8 Apr 09Obama's trip to the G-20 summit got a good deal more attention than Bush's first international summit travel in 2001.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Partisan Bickering Is Back, Says Public
Obama's Ratings Hold Steady, Trip Well-Received
8 Apr 09Obama continues to inspire confidence on economic matters, as majorities believe his policies will both improve economic conditions (66%) and reduce the budget deficit over time (54%). There has been no improvement in the GOP's image.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Knows Basic Facts About Financial Crisis
More Know Unemployment Rate than Dow Average
2 Apr 09High percentages of Americans know that the government assistance to banks is aimed at getting them to lend more money, not less money and that China is the foreign country holding the most U.S. government debt. Notably, more Americans know the current unemployment rate than the current level of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Partisan Gap in Obama Job Approval Widest in Modern Era
2 Apr 09For all of his hopes about bipartisanship, Barack Obama has the most polarized early job approval ratings of any president in the past four decades.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Little Sign of Obama Fatigue
Republicans Say Press Too Easy; Dems, Independents Say Fair
2 Apr 09In contrast to the campaign, only a third say they are hearing too much about Obama. But there are wide partisan differences on perceptions of his media coverage.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

No Decline in Belief That Obama is a Muslim
Nearly One-in-Five White Evangelicals Think So
1 Apr 09More than two months into Barack Obama's presidency, as many people incorrectly identify him as a Muslim as did so during the 2008 campaign with white evangelicals and Republicans most likely to misidentify his religious affiliation.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Unlikely to Find a Quick Fix for U.S. Global Image
31 Mar 09As the president travels through Europe this week, issues arising from the global economic crisis and other world problems on his agenda seem likely to resonate with key criticisms of America's leadership carried over from the Bush years.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Political Obligations of Catholics
A Conversation with the Archbishop of Denver
27 Mar 09The Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput argues that Catholics should take an active, vocal and morally consistent role in public debates, particularly on issues such as abortion, the death penalty and other matters they consider central to social justice.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Unusually Wide Gap in 'Satisfaction,' 'Right Direction' Measures
26 Mar 09Americans' perception about the state and direction of the nation usually go hand-in-hand. However, big events, like last fall's election, can split these two indicators of the public's national outlook.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Americans Favor Carbon Cap, Gays in the Military and Renewing U.S.-Cuba Ties
Policy Update
25 Mar 09New polling finds public favors setting limits on carbon emissions, allowing gays to serve openly in the military and re-establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama's Approval Rating Slips Amid Division Over Economic Proposals
GOP Congressional Leaders’ Ratings Hit New Low
16 Mar 09Most people think the new president is doing as much as he can to fix the economy, but the public expresses mixed views of his many major proposals to fix the economy. The public overwhelmingly supports Obama’s plan to remove most combat troops from Iraq by the end of August but a much narrower majority supports his planned troop buildup in Afghanistan.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Socialism, American-Style
We love the free market, but fear corporations and global competition, and depend on Uncle Sam to keep us safe
12 Mar 09We love the free market, but fear corporations and global competition, and depend on Uncle Sam to keep us safe.
Pew Research Center

States' Budget Woes Register With Public
Republicans Increasingly Critical of Obama
5 Mar 09Interest in Obama’s speech to Congress was comparable to interest in Bush’s 2003 State of the Union, in which he made his case for war with Iraq.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

In Mammon We Trust? Religions Agree Economy is Issue Number One
4 Mar 09While members of all faiths see the economy as the top priority for 2009, they are not always in agreement on what issues the government should tackle. The divide is especially large on reducing crime and moral decline in America.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Obamanomics: No Deficit in Press
Endgame in Iraq Not Big News
4 Mar 09A developing media meta narrative focused on the president's high stakes overhaul of domestic priorities implicit in his budget proposals.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Truth over Happiness
27 Feb 09Will Americans listen only to Happy Talk from a president? Here's what the record shows.
Pew Research Center

Stimulus News Seen as More Negative Than Positive
Too Much Coverage of Phelps, Octuplets
11 Feb 09Most Americans are following the debate over the stimulus package closely but many want to hear more information on the specifics of the proposals.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The New Face of Washington's Press Corps
As Mainstream Media Decline, Niche and Foreign Outlets Grow
11 Feb 09The corps of journalists covering Washington D.C. at the dawn of the Obama administration is not so much smaller as it is dramatically transformed. And that transformation will markedly alter what Americans know and not know about the new government, as well as who will know it and who will not.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

The First 10 or So Days
10 Feb 09Less than three weeks into the new administration, many among the media talking-heads were declaring it a failure, one asking if it was the roughest debut in recent presidential history.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

A Look at Religious Voters in the 2008 Election
10 Feb 09Two experts examine the role that religion played in the 2008 presidential election and discuss implications for the future.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

From Candidate to President
9 Feb 09One-word descriptions of President Obama have changed dramatically since he was a candidate.
Pew Research Center

Support for Stimulus Plan Slips, But Obama Rides High
92% View Obama as Good Communicator
9 Feb 09Although support for the economic stimulus package has weakened over the last month, President Obama's personal image is extremely strong with fully 92% of the public rating him a good communicator. And the belief that Obama represents a break from politics as usual is widespread, despite the highly partisan reaction to his economic stimulus proposal.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Blogs an Outlet for Economic Outrage
6 Feb 09Story of zombie road sign competes with politics and economic news on web.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Policy Issues Overshadow Personal Stories in Obama's First Weeks
Broad Public Awareness of Coming Digital TV Transition
4 Feb 09The public focused much more on President Obama’s stimulus plans than on his successful bid to keep his Blackberry. Also, fully eight-in-ten say they have heard a lot about the coming switch to digital TV.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Reality Bites: Economy Fouls Mood
4 Feb 09Almost as unprecedented as the historic coverage of Obama's inauguration was the media's quick pivot to questioning the efficacy of his stimulus package, political clout and pledge of bipartisanship.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Limbaugh Holds onto his Niche -- Conservative Men
3 Feb 09While Rush’s syndicated radio show does not have the reach of other conservative favorites like Bill O’Reilly’s television program, his audience is by far the most conservative of any program or network tested by a Pew Research survey. It was also the most male.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Higher Law: Faith-Based Hiring and the Obama Administration
3 Feb 09During his campaign, then-candidate Barack Obama said he would overturn the Bush administration's actions allowing religious groups that receive federal funds for providing social services to restrict hiring to those of the same faith. A scholar discusses the legal pros and cons of such a reversal.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Bloggers Ponder Every Aspect of Obama's Inauguration
30 Jan 09From the preparations to the swearing-in to the music, President Barack Obama’s inauguration was by far and away the dominant subject debated and dissected by bloggers, user news sites and other social media last week.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Dems' Favorability Advantage Widens
Views of Congress Negative, More Polarized
29 Jan 09The current Democratic favorability advantage is the largest measured in nearly two decades. Even among white evangelical Protestants, loyal supporters of the Republican Party, opinions about the two parties are about even.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Inauguration Outdraws Interest in Economy
Public Says Media Fair in Obama Coverage
28 Jan 09
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama's Inaugural Week: Heavy Media Focus Turns from Symbols to Substance
28 Jan 09Thanks to nearly non-stop coverage of an historic inauguration, the new Obama administration dominated the agenda. The leading storyline was the pomp and circumstance of the inauguration itself. But that was a multi-layered narrative that involved everything from the logistics of handling two million spectators to the extensive analysis of his address.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Plane Crash Draws as Much Interest as Economy
23 Jan 09Among domestic airline and train accidents of recent years, only one -- the deadly crash of TWA flight 800 off the coast of New York in 1996 -- attracted significantly greater public interest than the dramatic emergency landing of US Airways flight 1549 in New York’s Hudson River.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

As Obama Takes Office, Global Press Turns to Regional Concerns
22 Jan 09The celebratory tone that characterized international media coverage of Barack Obama’s historic election victory was again pervasive in many of the stories about his inauguration. However, many newspapers noted the more somber tone of Obama’s speech, and were themselves relatively somber about the enormous challenges and inflated expectations facing the new president.
Pew Global Attitudes Project

On Obama's Desk: Economy, Jobs Trump All Other Policy Priorities
Environment, Immigration, Health Care Slip Down the List
22 Jan 09While it is not unusual for Americans to prioritize domestic over foreign policy, a new survey finds strengthening the economy and improving the job situation are higher priorities today than they have been at any point over the past decade, and the recent upward trend has been steep.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Who Expects To Gain -- And Lose -- Under Obama
21 Jan 09More Americans say that people like themselves will gain influence under the Obama administration than was the case for the last two incoming presidents. Many who did not vote for Obama say this as well -- including pluralities of all whites and white evangelical Christians.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Cabinet Appointees Highly Visible
Unemployment Figures Draw Broad Attention
15 Jan 09Much of the increased awareness of the president-elect’s high-level personnel selections has to do with his choice of Hillary Clinton to serve as secretary of state.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Hispanics and the New Administration: Immigration Slips as a Priority
15 Jan 09Latinos, who heavily supported Obama in the November election, rate such issues as the economy, health care and education as the more important issues facing the country. Hispanics were more likely to be first time voters than the general public.
Pew Hispanic Center

Strong Confidence in Obama -- Country Seen as Less Politically Divided
America's Pre-Inauguration Mood
15 Jan 09Public confidence in Barack Obama to deal with the nation's most pressing problems is high and many Americans not only see the president-elect as a problem-solver, but as a "uniter" as well.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Ask Not…
The word "sacrifice" has become a rarity in the lexicon of politicians -- and of pollsters too
13 Jan 09Since John F. Kennedy’s famous inaugural address, the word “sacrifice” has become a rarity in the lexicon of politicians -- and of pollsters too
Pew Research Center

Religion, Race – and Obama
8 Jan 09A religious scholar discusses the president-elect’s place in the nation’s historical tension between religion and politics and examines the role of black churches as well as the controversy surrounding the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Mideast Competes With Economy and Obama for Public Interest
Press Viewed as ‘Fair’ to Bush and Obama
8 Jan 09Public interest in the Middle East conflict is on par with other recent foreign news stories, but is lower than in the Israel-Hezbollah war in August 2006. A slightly greater percentage say the media have not been critical enough of Hamas than say the same about coverage of Israel (30% vs. 25%, respectively).
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Gains Seen On Minority Discrimination -- But Little Else
Americans Assess Progress on National Problems
7 Jan 09As Obama prepares to take office, majorities say the country is losing ground on many key issues, especially economic ones.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

States of the Union Before and After Bush
5 Jan 09What a difference eight years can make -- or not. As shown in a series of tables, some things have changed a great deal since George W. Bush was elected president in 2000, but other things, most notably certain American beliefs and attitudes, have remained remarkably constant.
Pew Research Center

From BarackObama.com to Change.gov
Those Active in the Obama Campaign Expect to be Involved in Promoting the Administration
30 Dec 08A new survey finds that voters expect that the level of public engagement they experienced with Obama during the campaign, much of it occurring online, will continue into the early period of his new administration.
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Internet Overtakes Newspapers as News Outlet
23 Dec 08The internet, which emerged this year as a leading source for campaign news, has now surpassed all other media except television as a main source for national and international news. While the 2008 presidential campaign attracted high levels of public attention, the economy was the top story of the year in terms of news interest, according to Pew’s Weekly News Interest Index. In late September, as the nation’s financial crisis deepened, 70% said they were following news about the economy very closely. That ranks among the highest levels of news interest for any story in the past two decades.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Religious Makeup of Congress
19 Dec 08Although a majority of the members of the new, 111th Congress are Protestants, Congress -- like the nation as a whole -- is much more religiously diverse than it was 50 years ago.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Bush and Public Opinion
Reviewing the Bush Years and the Public's Final Verdict
18 Dec 08Just 11% say Bush will be remembered as an outstanding or above average president -- by far the lowest positive end-of-term rating for any of the past four presidents. Yet Bush's impact on public opinion over the past eight years is seen in ways that go well beyond his personal unpopularity.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Blagojevich Arrest Grabs Public Attention
18 Dec 08Only the congressional check bouncing scandal of 1992 -- in which members of Congress were investigated for overdrawing their office checking accounts -- and the initial Clinton-Lewinsky allegations in 1998 rated higher in terms of public interest than the Blagojevich bribery charges.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

What a Year! People-Press Poll Reports in 2008
16 Dec 08Findings from Pew Research Center polls over the year told the story of the longest -- and one of the most exciting -- presidential elections in U.S. history as well as recording the public's reactions to other major events ranging from the pope's visit, to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to the onset of a mega-economic downturn.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Blagojevich Framed as Obama's First Crisis
16 Dec 08The scandal involving Illinois Gov. Blagojevich became 2008's biggest weekly story not related to the election or economy -- topping both the Russia-Georgia war and NY Gov. Spitzer's prostitution scandal -- and siphoning off attention from the week's other big stories.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Hillary’s New Job Better Known than Dow Jones Average
Public Affairs Knowledge Update
15 Dec 08While just about everyone knows Obama's new secretary of state, fewer than half were generally aware of where the Dow is trading these days. A new Pew News IQ survey provides an updated look at the public's knowledge of political and world affairs. Test your own knowledge of current affairs against that of the broader public before you read the report.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Bearish Outlook Fuels Consumer Cutbacks
11 Dec 08Nearly six-in-ten who say they are cutting back or delaying purchases report they are doing so because they worry things might get worse. Fewer than one in four say they are cutting back because their own financial situation has worsened. Lower fuel and food costs do not appear to have had a positive impact on the public so far.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Some Final Thoughts on Campaign '08
8 Dec 08 A wrap-up of possibly overlooked polling trends and end-of-campaign happenings.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Americans Claim to Like Diverse Communities but Do They Really?
2 Dec 08People express pro-diversity attitudes to pollsters but U.S. neighborhoods have grown more politically and economically homogenous in recent decades, according to analyses of election returns and U.S. Census data.
Social & Demographic Trends

How the Media Covered Religion
Obama Gets Most Coverage, Much of It on False Rumor He Is a Muslim
20 Nov 08Religion played a much more significant role in press treatment of Obama than of McCain during the 2008 campaign, but much of the coverage related to false yet persistent rumors that Obama is a Muslim.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Never-Ending Story: Palin and Hillary Still Making News
18 Nov 08The country’s weakened economy rivaled the presidential transition as top story of the week while much coverage focused on two women who ran losing campaigns for the executive branch.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

High Hopes
14 Nov 08Barack Obama won only 53% of the vote on Election Day, but he is getting a landslide greeting from the American public with voters giving Obama better grades for his conduct during the campaign than any presidential candidate since 1988.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Post-Election Perspectives
13 Nov 08In remarks at a dinner at the Newseum hosted by the Roper Center, Pew Research Center President Andrew Kohut analyzed the voter preferences revealed in exit and post-election polls and their implications for the incoming administration.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Gay Marriage at the Ballot Box
13 Nov 08Prior to Massachusetts becoming the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2003, only three states had passed constitutional amendments prohibiting the practice. With amendments in California, Arizona and Florida passing this November, the number of states now stands at 29. A graphic charts the recent history of voter-approved state bans on gay marriage.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Global Media Celebrate Obama Victory -- But Cautious Too
A Changed View of American Democracy
13 Nov 08"GOBAMA!" gushed Britain's Daily Mirror the day after Barack Obama's electoral victory. Other newspapers around the world were scarcely less enthusiastic but notes of concern and discord were also registered.
Pew Global Attitudes Project

High Marks for Campaign, High Bar for Obama
13 Nov 08A week after the election, voters are feeling good about themselves, the presidential campaign and Barack Obama. Looking ahead, they have high expectations for the Obama administration, with two-thirds predicting that he will have a successful first term.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Young Voters in the 2008 Election
12 Nov 08This year, 66% of those under age 30 voted for Barack Obama making the disparity between young voters and other age groups larger than in any presidential election since exit polling began in 1972.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Few Will Miss Campaign News
Public's Favorite -- and Least Favorite -- Campaign Journalists
12 Nov 08The 2008 campaign set records for interest and will long be remembered (in fact, 23% of Americans are saving a post-election newspaper), but fully 82% of Americans will have no problem taking election news out of their lives. Also, Bill O’Reilly comes in as American’s favorite -- and least favorite -- campaign commentator.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

States Made History on November 4, Too
11 Nov 08Barack Obama wasn't the only one to make history on Election Day 2008. Statehouses also broke ground on several fronts.
Special to the Pew Research Center

Media Moment: History, Trends and Transition Dominate News Coverage
11 Nov 08When the campaign was finally over, the media almost immediately viewed Barack Obama's victory as a transformational event, and a subject that had been in some ways taboo moved front and center - race.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

A Roundup of State Ballot Measures
6 Nov 08Gay marriage bans were among the most closely watched of the 153 measures on 36 states' ballots this year, a list that included scores of politically explosive social and fiscal issues including abortion, doctor-assisted suicide and various efforts to roll back state taxes.
Special to the Pew Research Center

Election Weekend News Interest Hits 20-Year High
Top Events of Campaign 2008
6 Nov 08Fully 60% of voters followed campaign news very closely this weekend, the highest level of interest on the eve of an election since the Pew Research Center began tracking campaign news interest in 1988. Throughout the campaign, Americans said they were hearing more about Obama than about McCain, although analysis shows news coverage became closely balanced between the two candidates.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

How Hispanics Voted in the 2008 Election
5 Nov 08Hispanics voted for Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden over Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin by a margin of more than two-to-one according to an analysis by the Pew Hispanic Center of exit polls, with Latino youth supporting the Democratic ticket by an even wider margin.
Pew Hispanic Center

Inside Obama's Sweeping Victory
5 Nov 08Barack Obama captured the White House on the strength of a substantial electoral shift toward the Democratic Party and by winning a number of key groups in the middle of the electorate. In particular, the overwhelming backing of younger voters was a critical factor in Obama's victory, according to an analysis of National Election Pool exit poll data.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Voting Religiously
5 Nov 08President-elect Barack Obama made a concerted effort to reach out to people of faith during the 2008 presidential campaign, and early exit polls show that this outreach may have paid off on Election Day.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Strategy Session: Media Focused on Polls and Maps in Final Week
4 Nov 08If ever there is a time when campaigns are horse races, it is in the final days, and coverage was indeed largely about the contest itself.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Obama Leads McCain 52% to 46% in Campaign's Final Days
McCain Narrows Gap
2 Nov 08The Pew Research Center's final pre-election poll of 2,587 likely voters finds 49% supporting or leaning to Obama, 42% for McCain; 2% for minor party candidates and 7% undecided. When the undecided vote is allocated, Obama holds a 52% to 46% lead over McCain. The survey was conducted from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Democrats Post Gains in Affiliation Across Age Cohorts
31 Oct 08The proportion of voters identifying with the Democratic Party has grown significantly since the 2004 election, and the shift has been particularly dramatic among younger voters.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Internet Now Major Source of Campaign News
Continuing Partisan Divide in Cable TV News Audiences
31 Oct 08Television remains the dominant source, but the percent of people who say they get most of their campaign news from the internet has tripled since 2004.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Will Obama Win the White Catholic Vote?
31 Oct 08White Catholics have traditionally been swing voters but their recent apparent shift from support for McCain to Obama was both sharp and swift. What explains it?
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Democrats Hold Party ID Edge Across Political Battleground
30 Oct 08As shown in a series of charts, the Democratic Party now holds an advantage in several swing states, has increased its advantage in several "blue" states and cut into the GOP's lead in some "red" states since the last presidential campaign.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Element of Surprise
30 Oct 08As recently as a month ago, this analyst and the American public itself were throwing up our hands and saying we can't figure this one out -- too many intangibles. No more.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Palin Fatigue Now Rivals Obama Fatigue
SNL Appearance, Wardrobe Flap Register Widely
30 Oct 08Sarah Palin's new wardrobe caught the public's eye but media coverage focused far more on the presidential candidates. Still, more Americans say they've been hearing too much about Palin than say they've heard too much about Obama.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Exit Poll Preview
An Interview with Joe Lenski
29 Oct 08In an exclusive interview, Joe Lenski, co-founder and Executive Vice President of Edison Media Research discusses his organization's plans for conducting exit polls on November 4, given this year's special challenges.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Color Of News: How Different Media Have Covered the General Election
29 Oct 08When it comes to coverage of the campaign for president 2008, where one goes for news makes a difference, according to a new study.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Among Florida's Hispanics, Voter Registration Swings Democratic
29 Oct 08Unlike in the rest of the country, the Latino vote in the Sunshine State has tended to be heavily Republican; but changing politics and demographics have produced a substantial shift in electoral rolls.
Pew Hispanic Center

Swing States Sway Campaign Media
28 Oct 08In the final days of the race for president, seemingly nothing but the algebra of the electoral map appears to have staying power.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

McCain Support Continues Downward Spiral
Obama Leads by 19 Among Those Who Have Already Voted
28 Oct 08A breakdown of voting intentions by demographic groups shows that since mid- September, McCain's support has declined significantly across most voting blocs.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Republicans: Still Happy Campers
23 Oct 08Despite the imploding stock market, the looming recession, the unpopular president and discouraging political polls, a new Social Trends survey finds GOP adherents still beat Democrats on the happiness scale.
Social & Demographic Trends

Liberal Democrats Top Conservative Republicans in Donations, Activism
More Than a Quarter of Voters Read Political Blogs
23 Oct 08With less than two weeks to go before Election Day, voters remain riveted to the presidential campaign. But liberal Democrats are engaging in far more activism than other partisan and ideological groups.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Most Voters Say News Media Wants Obama to Win
"Joe the Plumber" a Top Campaign Story
22 Oct 08By a margin of 70%-9%, voters say most journalists want to see Obama, not McCain, win on Nov. 4. Since 1992, voters have consistently believed the media favor the Democratic candidate, but this year's margin is especially wide.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Doubts Grow About McCain's Judgment, Age and Campaign
Obama's Lead Widens: 52%-38%
21 Oct 08Obama is inspiring more confidence on several key issues, including Iraq and terrorism, than he did before the debates, and his margin over McCain as the candidate best able to improve economic conditions has grown.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Polls and Plumbers Drive Narrative
21 Oct 08Campaign coverage increasingly focused on tactics -- including McCain's invocation of an Ohio plumber to represent the working man - as well as fights in battleground states and the parade of polls.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Poll Power
17 Oct 08Though by no means a perfect instrument, polls make it possible for more opinions, held by a broader and more representative range of citizens, to be known to the government and thus, potentially, heeded.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Campaign Seen As Increasingly Negative
McCain Ads Seen as Less Truthful
16 Oct 08The campaign received more media coverage than the financial crisis for the first time in a month, but nearly two-thirds of Americans (63%) list either economic conditions or the stock market drop as the single news story they followed more closely than any other last week.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Worried But Not Panicked About Economy
Obama Clearer than McCain in Addressing Crisis, Holds Sizeable Lead in Matchup
15 Oct 08Americans are concerned about the nation’s economic problems and they register the lowest level of national satisfaction ever measured in a Pew survey. But there is little indication that the nation’s financial crisis has triggered public panic or despair.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Blaming the Messenger: A Continuum of Press Condemnation
10 Oct 08From Jefferson to Palin, politicians of the left and right have blamed the media for public discontent with their policies, politics or personal behavior.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Beat the Press: Many Say Press has Been Too Tough on Sarah Palin
Positive Ratings for Coverage of Financial Crisis
9 Oct 08While strong majorities feel the press has been fair to John McCain, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as many people say the press has been too tough on the governor of Alaska (38%) as say it has been fair (38%). Republicans overwhelmingly believe the press has been too hard on Palin (63%).
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Did Campaign Coverage Move off the Economy? You Betcha!
7 Oct 08Though the economic crisis dominated general news coverage, the vice presidential debate drove the campaign narrative as Sarah Palin received the most attention of the four candidates.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Post-Debate: Palin Still Seen as Unqualified, a Bump for Biden
6 Oct 08Impressions of Sarah Palin have changed little since her debate with Joe Biden according to a special re-interview of voters this weekend, but opinions of Joe Biden rose substantially.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

A Word about Debate Impressions
4 Oct 08View "word clouds" of voters' impressions of the performances of John McCain and Barack Obama in their first presidential debate based on one-word descriptions from a recent Pew survey.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Will the Culture War Matter on Election Day?
2 Oct 08Leading experts discuss the history of cultural divisions in American politics and what role, if any, they will play in the outcome of the November election.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

The Religious Vote: Much like 2004, but Economic Concerns Now Top Social Issues
2 Oct 08A national survey finds remarkable stability in the candidate preferences of major religious groups compared with the last presidential campaign. But issue priorities among all religious groups have changed with possible implications in November.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Despite Pastors' Protest, Most Americans Are Wary of Church Involvement in Partisan Politics
1 Oct 08More than two dozen pastors recently challenged a tax code provision restricting political activities by houses of worship, but surveys show that substantial majorities of the public have consistently opposed such action.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Interest in Economic News Surges
VP Debate Highly Anticipated
1 Oct 08Attention to news about the economy skyrocketed last week, with 70% of Americans following developments very closely, up from 56% the previous week. Interest in the campaign also saw a new high for the cycle, and more Americans (64%) say they are very likely to watch the VP debate than said so about last week’s presidential debate (58%).
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Boosts Leadership Image and Gains Significant Lead Over McCain
Growing Concerns About Palin's Qualifications
1 Oct 08The Illinois senator, helped by the debate, has been able to erase concerns about his ability to lead, to widen his advantage on economic issues and to move to a significant lead in swing states. There has been a broad-based decline in the number of voters who view Palin as qualified to become president.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Coverage Centers on Volatility in Economy and McCain Campaign
Week's Drama Highlighted Uneasy Mix between National Crisis and Politics
30 Sep 08The week drama's suggested that a national crisis and campaign for president do not easily mix and the candidate who tried harder to seize the moment may have had the tougher week.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Assessing the Debate: A Media/Public Disconnect?
30 Sep 08Political pundits, seeing no knockout punch, scored a tie. But viewers awarded the win to Obama.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Uncertain Times
25 Sep 08In every recent election the public has accurately picked the winner by this time in the cycle. But not this year.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

McCain's Image Falls as Economic Worries Rise; Public Awaits Debate
25 Sep 08Independents' views of McCain have become significantly less favorable in the last few days, but they still expect him to win the coming foreign policy debate.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Candidates: In a Word
25 Sep 08View "word clouds" of voters' impressions of the candidates based on one-word descriptions from a recent Pew survey.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Support for Global Engagement Declines
Even as Optimism About Iraq Surges
24 Sep 08The public's top long-term foreign policy goals are decidedly America-centric. Defending the country against terrorism, protecting U.S. jobs, and weaning the country from imported energy all draw extensive bipartisan support.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Most Approve of Wall Street Bailout and See Obama as Better Able to Address Crisis
Interest in the Economy Highest in Nearly 20 Years
23 Sep 08With public interest in the economy at a 20-year high, by a margin of almost two-to-one Americans think the government is doing the right thing in investing billions of dollars to try to keep financial institutions and markets secure.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Financial Fallout Pops Palin Media Bubble, Drives Campaign Coverage
23 Sep 08Wall Street's meltdown raised the possibility that the economy may become the decisive factor in the November election.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

How the Media Has Handled Palin's Faith
22 Sep 08Coverage of her religious background and beliefs has often been a peripheral element in the story.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Views of Palin Fluid as Spotlight Remains on GOP Ticket
Public Sees Obama Ads Getting More Negative
18 Sep 08Sarah Palin continued to be a dominant factor in presidential campaign coverage last week, but her impact on the race remains unclear and her public image is very much in flux.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

McCain Gains on Issues, But Stalls as Candidate of Change
Presidential Race Remains Even
18 Sep 08The race remains close as enthusiasm for McCain increases among GOP base. Somewhat more swing voters (46%) say their greater concern is that McCain will govern too much like President Bush, rather than that Obama lacks experience (37%).
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Slight but Steady Majority Favors Keeping Abortion Legal
Most Also Favor Restrictions
16 Sep 08A recent Pew survey finds U.S. opinion on this perennial campaign issue remains in line with the historical pattern.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Palin Comparison: Half of Campaign Storylines Revolve around GOP VP
16 Sep 08For the second week in a row, the GOP vice presidential hopeful got more coverage than the man atop the ticket, John McCain. Yet this measure does not fully convey the Palin-centric nature of the news coverage.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

JohnMcCain.com v. BarackObama.com
15 Sep 08With roughly seven weeks left until Election Day, which candidate has the edge online, and how so? A new study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism finds both campaigns' official sites are now quite advanced.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Revisiting the Mommy Wars After Palin: Politics, Gender and Parenthood
15 Sep 08A new Pew survey, like others before it, found Republicans far more troubled than Democrats by the long term trend toward mothers of young children working outside the home. But these surveys were conducted before Sarah Palin entered the political scene. The especially enthusiatic initial reponse to her vice presidential candidacy contrasts sharply with these findings.
Social & Demographic Trends

The Bounce Effect
11 Sep 08There is little doubt that the fall campaign begins in earnest with McCain having gained the momentum. How good an indicator is this of where the electorate is headed on Nov. 4?
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

McCain's Image Improves - With Big Assist From Palin
Palin Press Coverage: Fair and Important
10 Sep 08While the GOP ticket leader's speech received only modest reviews, his running mate's address was viewed as the highlight of the Republican convention and helped boost McCain's public image overall. However, many in the public still question Palin's qualifications.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Survey Finds Alaskans Less Religious Than Other Americans
9 Sep 08GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is a self-described "Bible-believing Christian," but Pew surveys find that Alaskans are less devout on average than other Americans.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Northern Exposure: Palin Dominates Campaign Coverage
McCain Finally Gets More Coverage Than Obama, But Couldn't Top His VP
9 Sep 08For the first time since the general election campaign began, John McCain generated more coverage than Barack Obama. But he was still outshone by another newsmaker -- his own running mate.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

After Busy Week, Views of Both Candidates Improve
High Marks for Obama's Speech
3 Sep 08As attention to the campaign increased substantially last week, the images of both Barack Obama and John McCain improved. Reviews of Obama's acceptance speech were overwhelmingly positive. Among those who could rate it, nearly half (48%) rated the speech excellent and another 36% rated it good.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Denver and Palin Fuel Biggest Campaign Week Yet
3 Sep 08Campaign coverage filled 69% of the overall newshole last week, by far the most media attention the 2008 election has received since PEJ began tracking it in January 2007. The Democratic convention dominated news early, but McCain's unexpected VP pick abruptly changed the subject. In just two days of tracking, Sarah Palin became the third biggest campaign story of the week.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Convention Buzz: A Split Decision
28 Aug 08An examination of political websites shows the Clinton team and the Obama team sharing equal billing in online chatter about the Democratic National Convention.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Obama's Background Better Known Than His Issue Positions
Biden Pick a Top Campaign Event
27 Aug 08As Obama accepts the Democratic Party's nomination for president in Denver, more than six-in-ten Americans say they know a lot or a fair amount about his background, but only about half are familiar with his policies.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

It's All Veepstakes All the Time
26 Aug 08In a week that culminated with Senator Joe Biden's selection as Barack Obama's running mate, the veepstakes dominated the campaign narrative, shunting other storylines -- particularly policy differences -- to the sidelines.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Obama's Challenge
25 Aug 08As Democrats gather in Denver, many may be wondering why the presidential race has tightened. An analysis of polling data shows that that while voters are unhappy with the state of the nation and give low ratings to President Bush, the GOP base has started to solidify around McCain. Polling also finds that Obama's extensive media coverage may be a mixed blessing.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Men or Women: Who's the Better Leader?
A Paradox in Public Attitudes
25 Aug 08Americans believe women have the right stuff to be political leaders. When it comes to honesty, intelligence and other traits they value highly in leaders, the public rates women superior to men. But only 6% say women make better political leaders than men. A new Pew survey explores this paradox.
Social & Demographic Trends

A Closer Look at the Parties in 2008
Convention Backgrounder
22 Aug 08As the 2008 conventions approach, the Democratic Party’s advantage in party identification remains as large as it has been over the past two decades, and the Democratic Party’s image remains substantially more positive than the GOP’s.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Party Time: Democrats Primed To Tune Into Convention
21 Aug 08More Americans are interested in following the Democratic Convention (59%) than the Republican Convention (48%). An overwhelming majority of Democrats (79%) plan to follow their party’s convention. However, those who favored Hillary Clinton express only modest interest in Obama’s speech and strong interest in her address.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Support Falls for Religion’s Role in Politics
Some Social Conservative Disillusionment
21 Aug 08A new Pew Research survey finds a decline in the share of Americans who want churches and other houses of worship to be involved in political matters. Most of the drop in the past four years has come among political conservatives.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

War in Georgia is Bigger News than the Campaign
19 Aug 08Last week marked the first time in nine months that the most covered news story was not the presidential campaign. The Russian-Georgian war led the news and also generated positive coverage for McCain and his aggressive approach to the crisis.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

The Purpose Driven Campaign: The Candidates' Forum with Rick Warren
14 Aug 08McCain and Obama will make their first joint appearance of the general election campaign at an event moderated by Pastor Rick Warren at his 22,000-member Saddleback Church. John Green discusses what the candidates stand to gain from speaking with Warren and the challenges that Warren will face as he attempts to broaden evangelicals’ political agenda.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Presidential Race Draws Even
GOP Base Getting Behind McCain
13 Aug 08With fewer than two weeks to go before the start of the presidential nominating conventions, McCain has solidified his support among Republicans and white evangelicals, especially in the South, while Obama lags in attracting Clinton supporters.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Comeback Kids: Clintons Return to Campaign Coverage
12 Aug 08Last week's major story lines turned more to discord among Democrats, energy policy and the search for vice presidents.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Obama Fatigue - 48% Hearing Too Much About Him
McCain's Ads Seen As Negative, Obama's as Positive
6 Aug 08While John McCain closed the gap in campaign news coverage last week, Barack Obama still enjoyed much more visibility in the eye of the public. But 48% say they've heard too much about the Democratic nominee and a plurality say they've heard too little about his opponent.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Spears and Hilton Raise McCain Coverage Even With Obama
5 Aug 08A spasm of introspection by the media, amid a wave of accusations that they were being unfair to the GOP standard bearer combined with a controversial ad to generate equal coverage of the two candidates.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Obama's Trip a Top Campaign Event for Public
42% Say Campaign Coverage Biased in Favor of Obama
31 Jul 08Despite a high level of public attention to the Democratic candidate's weeklong tour abroad, most said they learned very little of his foreign policy views as a result of the trip.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Power of the Protest Vote
29 Jul 08Don't be surprised if third or fourth party presidential candidates garner enough votes in November to make a difference
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama's Trip Consumes Coverage
But not all of the coverage was flattering
29 Jul 08While many media outlets credited Obama with a stylistically successful and largely gaffe-less trip, some questioned whether it actually benefited the candidate.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Democrats Highly Critical of New Yorker Cover, Republicans Say It Was Okay
Public Closely Tracking Business News
24 Jul 08Fully four-in-ten Americans heard a lot about a satirical cartoon on the cover of the New Yorker magazine. A majority of those who saw it found it offensive (54%) and few found it funny (27%).
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Social Issues Crowd State Ballots
24 Jul 08In a special to the Pew Research Center, a Stateline.org report finds more proposals that would appeal to conservative voters than to liberals are showing up in 2008, but no consensus on whether ballot measures tend to drive enough voters to the polls to give an advantage to a presidential candidate.
Special to the Pew Research Center

McCain's Lead Among Evangelicals Smaller than Bush's in '04
Religiously Unaffiliated Voters Strongly Favor Democratic Candidate
17 Jul 08Many white evangelicals remain undecided and Obama has made few inroads into this key constituency. But the Democratic candidate enjoys strong support among the religiously unaffiliated.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Should Women Worry Obama?
17 Jul 08Obama is doing better among young and independent women than either of the last two Democratic nominees, but many older Democratic women remain undecided.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Cell Phones and the 2008 Vote: An Update
17 Jul 08The latest Pew Research Center national survey, including a sample of 503 adults on a cell phone, finds that the overall estimate of voter presidential preference is modestly affected by whether or not the cell phone respondents are included.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obamamania Abroad: The Candidate Can Expect a Warm Welcome in Europe, Not So in the Middle East
16 Jul 08By all accounts, Barack Obama will be enthusiastically greeted when he travels to Europe. But his trip will take him into less friendly territory in the Middle East where Muslims remain skeptical about the future of U.S. foreign policy, regardless of who is elected in November.
Pew Global Attitudes Project

Candidates' Policy Positions Still Not Widely Known
16 Jul 08Despite extensive media attention to the presidential campaign, relatively few Americans are familiar with either Obama's or McCain's foreign and domestic policy positions.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Belief that Obama is Muslim is Durable, Bipartisan – but Most Likely to Sway Democratic Votes
15 Jul 08The New Yorker magazine’s controversial cover has renewed focus on persistent public misperceptions of Sen. Barack Obama’s faith.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Faith Factor in the Media's Primary Campaign Coverage
10 Jul 08Despite attention to Obama's former pastor, questions about McCain's relationship with the conservative religious base, interest in Romney's Mormon faith and Baptist preacher Huckabee's strong showing, only 2% of campaign stories directly focused on religion; still that was more than the attention devoted to race and gender combined.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Likely Rise In Voter Turnout Bodes Well For Democrats
Obama's Support is More Committed than McCain's but Many Remain Undecided
10 Jul 08Even with a partisan enthusiasm gap, voter interest is already as high as in November of recent elections, two trends that may significantly alter the composition of the eventual electorate in the Democrats' favor. The proportion of swing voters is also up compared with four years ago. Nearly half of independents (47%) are undecided or may change their minds, up from 28% in June 2004.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

McCain's Interest Gap
9 Jul 08While Obama and McCain received similar levels of media coverage, Obama remained by far the most visible candidate. Only 11% of Americans cited McCain as the candidate they had heard the most about, while more than seven-in-ten (71%) named Obama.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Media Heat Wave
9 Jul 08A week of negative election storylines was led by the shake-up in the McCain campaign, Gen. Wesley Clark's comments and questions of patriotism. Thanks in part to his staffing reshuffle, McCain was competitive with Obama in coverage for the first time since Obama clinched his nomination.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

For Public, Oil Prices and Economic News Overshadow Campaign
McCain Remains Much Less Visible than Obama
2 Jul 08Last week marked the largest partisan gap in campaign interest since the start of the presidential race in early 2007. Democrats were almost twice as likely as Republicans to say they followed the campaign very closely (52% vs. 28%).
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Summer Rerun: Media Returns to Coverage of Divided Democrats
Hillary and Bill Clinton combined media coverage equaled McCain's total
1 Jul 08While differences between Barack Obama and John McCain over energy policy played a major role, most of the campaign narrative focused on Democrats' efforts to reunite the party.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

The Spouse and the President Get Their Media Close-ups
24 Jun 08A key narrative in last week's campaign focused not on Barack Obama and John McCain themselves, but on two people whose public roles reflect crucial challenges facing the candidates--Michelle Obama and George Bush.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Gas Prices Dominate the Public's Economic News Agenda
Fewer Following Midwest Floods than in 1993
19 Jun 08As economic news continues to register at an almost record level with the public, no other issue gets close to the level of attention accorded the price of oil and gas. Fully 72% of Americans say it is the economic or fiscal problem they've heard the most about.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Politics Goes Viral Online
15 Jun 08Already in this campaign season, more Americans -- 46% -- have gone online to get political news and campaign information than in all of 2004.
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Most Americans See a Black Nominee as Important for Country
Partisan and Racial Divisions Over Significance of Obama's Win
11 Jun 08A solid majority say the nomination of an African American for president is important to the country, but racial and partisan divisions exist on the significance of Obama’s historical achievement.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Clinton Question Drives Coverage
Themes around “what does Hillary want” alone accounted for 29% coverage.
10 Jun 08While Obama’s primary win gave him the edge in quantity of coverage, Clinton was the driving force in a media narrative that focused largely on what she would do next.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

States Aim to End the Electoral College
9 Jun 08A movement is bubbling at the state level to ensure that future presidents are the candidates who get the most votes nationwide.
Stateline.org

Many Say Coverage is Biased in Favor of Obama
Primary Wrapup: Even As Obama Controversies Widely Registered
5 Jun 08More of the public heard about controversies related to Obama than other campaign events. Even so, far more Americans believe press coverage has favored him than think it has favored Clinton.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Backers Cool to Clinton as Running Mate
But "Dream Ticket" Draws Support From Key Democratic Blocs
4 Jun 08While a majority of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters (53%) favor a so-called "Dream Ticket," fully 54% of Obama supporters do not want Clinton chosen as his running mate.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Democratic Party's Favorables Rise, Congress Still Unpopular
Conservatives' Ratings of GOP Slip
3 Jun 08While opinion of the Republican Party (39% favorable) remains at a historic low, favorable views of the Democratic Party have risen to 57%. Attitudes toward the Democratic-led Congress, however, remain very negative.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Media Pivot to November, Iraq Debate
3 Jun 08Campaign coverage was split time last week between the dramatic Democratic primary endgame and the developing general election debate between McCain and Obama on the war in Iraq.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

The Iraq Challenge
2 Jun 08Soaring concern about the economy has displaced the Iraq War as the top priority issue among voters. Ambivalent and contradictory public opinions further complicate the role that the conflict will play in the November election.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Hispanics in the 2008 Election: Puerto Rico
29 May 08On Sunday, Puerto Rico holds one of the final Democratic primary contests. A new Pew Hispanic Center fact sheet provides key demographic information on eligible voters in Puerto Rico and compares them with eligible Latino voters and all eligible voters in the U.S.
Pew Hispanic Center

Character and the Primaries of 2008
What Were the Media Master Narratives about the Candidates During the Primary Season?
29 May 08A new analysis of media coverage during the first ten weeks of the 2008 primary season finds the dominant personal narratives about Obama and Clinton were almost identical in tone, and were both twice as positive as negative. The coverage of McCain's character was less positive than that of either Democratic candidate.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

In Tight General Election, McCain's Negatives Mostly Political, Obama's More Personal
Clinton Backers Cool to Obama - White Female Support in Question
29 May 08While Obama has opened up a wide lead in the Democratic primary, he now runs about even against McCain. The tightening general election shows some sullying of Obama's personal image over the past three months, which is in some measure a negative reaction from frustrated Clinton supporters. McCain's image has also become more negative since February, however, unlike Obama, those who disapprove cite his political beliefs.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Greater Coverage of McCain, But Public Still Focused on Obama
Most Expect Gas Prices To Reach $5 a Gallon or More
28 May 08Fully half of the public said Obama was the candidate they had heard the most about in the news, while only 8% said the same of McCain despite a significant increase in news coverage of his candidacy.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Mac's Back in Media Spotlight
The Arizona senator had his highest level of press coverage since week of Super Tuesday
28 May 08After largely being treated as a bystander to the Democrats' contest, the GOP nominee emerged as a featured player in campaign coverage. But that exposure is not always wanted or positive attention.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Cable's Constant Campaign Coverage Out of Sync With Public News Interest
22 May 08While much of the public focused on international events, cable news focused on the campaign almost to the exclusion of other top news stories. Also, though well covered, awareness of John Edwards' endorsement of Obama was relatively low.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Religion and Progressive Politics in 2008
20 May 08Directors of two progressive religious organizations and a political science professor discuss the origins of the "religious left" movement and how it might influence this year's election.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Oregon: The Vote is in the Mail
19 May 08The state's election officials' biggest concern in this year's May 20 primary was whether voters would remember that the price of a stamp went up a penny on May 12, just as they began mailing back their ballots.
Stateline.org

Public Says Press Should Not Declare Obama the Winner
14 May 08Fully 72% of the public - including comparable percentages of Democrats, Republicans and independents - say that journalists should not be anointing Obama as the Democratic nominee at this stage in the race.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Media Know Who It's "Gonna Be"
Clinton generated her highest level of coverage this year with calls for her to drop out.
13 May 08In a campaign with more twists than a Twilight Zone episode, the media all but officially pronounced Obama the Democratic nominee last week.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

The Widening Gap
9 May 08While Barack Obama's appeal to the young coincides with their increasing Democratic alignment, older voters do not show the greater allegiance to the GOP that might explain their relative reluctance to support him.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Race Factor Redux
8 May 08While the outcome of the North Carolina primary fit into a racial pattern observed in earlier primaries this year, Clinton’s showing in Indiana was less strong than would have been expected.
Pew Research Center

Will States Fix the 2012 Primary Process?
6 May 08Not a moment too soon, party insiders and state election officials are in informal talks to improve procedures for the next contest for the White House.
Stateline.org

The Wright Stuff: Obama's Pastor Corrals Campaign Coverage
6 May 08Last week, as Obama's controversial minister re-emerged into full public view, the controversy he generated made more news than either Hillary Clinton or John McCain.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Obama's Lead Over Clinton Disappears; Unfavorables Rise for Both Candidates
More Democrats See Unresolved Contest As Problem for Party
1 May 08Barack Obama's slipping support for the Democratic nomination reflects a modest decline in his personal image rather than improved impressions of Hillary Clinton. Both retain advantage over McCain as economy tops public's concerns.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Justices' OK for Indiana's Voter ID May Prompt Other States to Follow Suit
29 Apr 08With bills pending in state legislatures across the country, more states may move to require photo identification for voters in November.
Stateline.org

Democrats Division Unites Media
Post-Pennsylvania Spin Drowns Out McCain
29 Apr 08The week of the Pennsylvania primary ended with the prospect of a longer, tougher contest and with the volatile issue of race again occupying a prominent place in the media narrative.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Gen Dems: The Party's Advantage Among Young Voters Widens
28 Apr 08Trends in the opinions of America's youngest voters are often a barometer of shifting political winds. And that appears to be the case in 2008. Use the interactive tool to track generational differences in party affiliation over time.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama's Catholic Voter Problem?
25 Apr 08Hillary Clinton won the Catholic vote in Pennsylvania's Democratic primary by more than a two-to-one margin, repeating a pattern among religious voters similar to those seen in other states. Does this have implications for the May 6 contests in Indiana and North Carolina?
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

More Americans View Campaign As Too Negative
Obama's "Bitter" Comment Registers Widely
24 Apr 08Barack Obama's 'bitter' comment registered widely but just 29% of Americans say they paid very close attention to news about the presidential campaign last week, the lowest percentage recorded since December 2007.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Less News is Good News for McCain
49% Say Network News Anchors Are All About the Same
17 Apr 08While McCain has been consistently less visible to the public, far more Americans say the news they have been hearing about him is generally positive than say the same about coverage of Obama or Clinton.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

No Clear Advantage
17 Apr 08Electability is an issue, and one that both Obama and Clinton are likely to use to woo the superdelegates. But our polling suggests that neither candidate has a demonstrable advantage to tout.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

McCain Doesn't Get Most Exposure, But Can't Be "Bitter" About Media
15 Apr 08Renewed attention to Iraq benefited the GOP candidate, while Democrats seemed caught up in a game of gaffe ping-pong, with the media eagerly keeping score.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Religious Voters in Pennsylvania
11 Apr 08Connections that Clinton, Obama and McCain make -- or fail to make -- with the state's religious voters could have major consequences on April 22 and November 4.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Campaign News Interest Dips
Awareness of U.S. War Fatalities Rebounds
10 Apr 08With the campaign in a lull, interest, which had consistently surpassed previous presidential contests, is now comparable to the level measured in April 2004.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Clinton Punches, Obama Bowls, McCain Reminisces
8 Apr 08Obama attracted the most coverage, McCain's bio tour earned him headlines, but Clinton generated the clearest story line with her "Rocky" reference.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

That's What I Like About Me
7 Apr 08Obama's high favorable ratings are more influenced by how he makes voters feel than by specific characteristics they attributed to him. Clinton's image, in contrast, is driven by opinions about her own qualities.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Clinton Controversy Heavily Covered but Obama Maintains Visibility Edge
Many Say Economic Reporting Too Negative
3 Apr 08While her Bosnia flap made Clinton the newsmaker of the week, she continues to lag behind Obama in terms of public visibility. Both candidates, despite recent negative news, have seen little change in their favorability.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Robo-Calls Now Top Type Of Campaign Outreach
Wealthy Democratic Donors Now Outnumber Wealthy GOP Donors
3 Apr 08About two-in-five voters now say they have received a pre-recorded call about the campaign. Meanwhile, Democrats are far more engaged in campaign activities than are Republcians -- including donating money to a candidate.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Clinton's Turn in Bad News is Big News
Bosnia Gaffe Makes Her Top Newsmaker After a Week of Dominant Obama Coverage
1 Apr 08In recent campaign media narratives, bad news is big news. Hillary Clinton's oft-repeated story about encountering sniper fire in Bosnia made her last week's top newsmaker.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Talk Show Hosts Agree Obama Speech Was Boffo Theater but Some See the Script as Unconvincing
28 Mar 08The usually fractious fraternity of talking heads agreed on one thing -- Obama's ability to put words together. They were less unanimous about the content.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Obama Weathers the Wright Storm, Clinton Faces Credibility Problem
27 Mar 08Obama's personal image remains more favorable than Clinton's - and he retains a 10-point advantage over her in the race for the nomination. But certain beliefs and attitudes among older, white, working-class Democrats are associated with his lower levels of support among this group.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Speech on Race Arguably Biggest Event of Campaign
27 Mar 08Fully 85% of Americans say they heard about Obama's speech, and 70% have heard more about him in the last week than any other candidate. The impact of events on Obama's image appears to be mixed.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Political Water Cooler Conversation Features Ferraro, Rev. Wright
Spitzer Scandal: Heavy Coverage, Moderate Interest
20 Mar 08Not only are Americans closely following news about Obama's preacher and Clinton surrogates, but an overwhelming majority (84%) are talking about the campaign with family and friends.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Racial Tensions Roil Democrats' Media Narrative
But 'Client 9' Dominated Front Page Coverage
18 Mar 08Maybe the good news for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama last week was that the problems of another Democrat -- Eliot Spitzer -- generated almost as much media attention as they did.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

What Foreign Policy Agenda?
14 Mar 08Presidential challengers -- and the ultimate winner -- will face a public that is disillusioned, downbeat and partisan about foreign affairs but far from clear about what it wants done.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Tracking the Race Factor
14 Mar 08This week's primaries show that, results in Wisconsin aside, pre-primary polls may either over- or underestimate support for Obama depending on state racial demographics.
Pew Research Center

Rumors and Red Phones Capture The Public's Political Attention
38% Have Heard a Lot about "Obama's a Muslim" Rumors
13 Mar 08Americans are paying close attention to all aspects of the election this year, but the most widely recognized item involves rumors that Obama is a Muslim.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Presidential Calendar Boosts '08 Govs' Races
12 Mar 08Voters in the Tar Heel and Hoosier states will be the first to consider gubernatorial contenders at the same time they make their presidential preferences.
Stateline.org

Clinton Gets Media to Turn Back the Clock
Even in a strong week for Hillary, the narrative turned on questions about Obama.
11 Mar 08In a strong week for Hillary, the narrative turned on questions about Obama’s toughness.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Hispanics Give Clinton Crucial Wins
7 Mar 08Latino voters lopsided support for Hillary Clinton more than accounted for her margin of victory in Texas, California and New Mexico.
Pew Hispanic Center

Voting Religiously
7 Mar 08Pew Forum's John Green discusses the role that religious and unaffiliated voters played on March 4 and could play in coming Democratic primaries and whether false rumors about Obama’s faith could hurt his chances.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Public Sees Fair Fight
6 Mar 08Every week since November, 2007, the most covered news story has been the election, and the public has taken notice. Almost half of Americans (47%) listed it as the single news story they were following more closely than any other, up from 10% last November.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Combative Clinton Gets Media to Cover Itself
When Reporters Weren't Vetting Obama, They Were Questioning Their Own Treatment of Him
4 Mar 08
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Getting to Know Them
3 Mar 08If they turn out to be their party's nominees, both Barack Obama and John McCain need to educate voters about themselves in some pretty basic, and challenging, ways.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama Has the Lead, but Potential Problems Too
Public's Attitudes Toward Progress in Iraq Turn More Favorable
28 Feb 08Obama has moved out to a broad-based advantage over Clinton in the national Democratic primary contest. Public attitudes about the war in Iraq have turned more positive, a favorable development for McCain.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

NY Times' McCain Story Draws Public Interest - And Disapproval
Beef Recall and Failing Satellite Attract Attention
27 Feb 08By a nearly two-to-one margin those familiar with the Times' article on the Arizona senator's ties to a lobbyist think the paper was wrong to publish it.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Democrats Dominate Media on Single Theme: Is Clinton Done?
Controversial New York Times Story Drives Almost All McCain Coverage
26 Feb 08While Obama's apparent frontrunner status claimed most coverage early in the week, the controversial New York Times story put McCain back in the news.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

The Hispanic Vote in the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primaries
21 Feb 08As the Democratic nomination contest heads for a showdown in Texas on March 4, Latinos may be a pivotal constituency in a state where they make up a quarter of the electorate.
Pew Hispanic Center

Campaign Seen as Less Negative than 2004 Contest
Gore, Edwards Endorsements Would Have Modest Impact
21 Feb 08The public remains highly engaged in the election, with no increase in campaign fatigue. Also, with the Democratic race still in question, a Gore endorsement would be more influential than one from Edwards.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Obama and Clinton Tie for Coverage, But Barack Wins on Tone
Democratic Race Dominates Presidential Campaign Coverage
20 Feb 08The media narrative for the Democratic presidential race shifted dramatically last week, anointing a definite frontrunner and an underdog.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Obama Inspiring but Inexperienced, Clinton Prepared to Lead but "Hard to Like"
13 Feb 08While Democrats and independents who lean Democratic believe Clinton is prepared to lead, Obama has a clear lead on three positive campaign themes: inspiration, change, and honesty.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Evolving Media Expectations Plaguing All Remaining Candidates
12 Feb 08The presidential campaign again dominated news coverage but the journalistic narratives were not really the ones for which any of the remaining candidates were were probably hoping.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Young Voters in the 2008 Presidential Primaries
11 Feb 08Beyond the vote, the exit polls point to interesting differences -- and similarities -- between younger and older Democratic voters.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Does McCain Need Evangelical Voters?
Clinton Faces Challenge with Black Protestants; Obama Not Connecting With Jews
8 Feb 08Sizeable numbers of white evangelical Protestants are already part of McCain’s coalition despite opposition from some religious conservatives. On the Democratic side, Clinton will need to mobilize black Protestants while Obama has not connected with Jewish voters.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Patterns of Distinction
8 Feb 08Super Tuesday revealed distinct – and somewhat suprising -- voting patterns across the nation that may shape the course ahead in the closely contested Democratic race.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Super Tuesday Results Suggest Race Card May Be A Joker in the Primary Deck
7 Feb 08Race still plays a role in U.S. politics but it showed up in surprising ways in tallies from Democratic primary elections so far this year.
Pew Research Center

McCain Wins the Coverage Battle as Media Move to Anoint Him
4 Feb 08By generating more coverage than any other candidate last week, and easily outdistancing his GOP rivals, Sen. John McCain rode a media narrative of near inevitability last week. Plus, Sen. Ted Kennedy becomes a major newsmaker.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

The Faith Factor at the Polls
Virtually every religious community is important in at least one of the states with a Super Tuesday election.
4 Feb 08John Green: “Virtually every religious community one can think of is important in at least one of the states with an election on Super Tuesday.”
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

McCain’s Support Soars, Democratic Race Tightens
4 Feb 08Both Barack Obama and John McCain have gained considerable popularity in recent weeks with Obama’s gains concentrated among white, middle-income and moderate Democrats.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Independent Voters Vexed at Polls?
1 Feb 08Some 4.5 million independent voters in six states (Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Oklahoma and Utah) will be completely locked out of their states’ presidential primaries on Feb. 5.
Stateline.org

A Portrait of the Latino Vote in Eight "Super Tuesday" States
1 Feb 08Hispanic voters could be crucial to the outcome of several of this week's primaries and caucuses. Here are fact sheets describing the socioeconomic characteristics of eligible Latino voters in each of the eight states with sizeable Hispanic populations.
Pew Hispanic Center

A Look at the Numbers
1 Feb 08So far, the 2008 primaries and caucuses have been anything but predictable -- comebacks, fallbacks, not to mention surprised pollsters. But a closer look reveals some common themes that have emerged.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Do Blacks and Hispanics Get Along?
Yes, but Not Always, and Not about Everything
31 Jan 08In general the nation's two largest minorities think well of each other, but there are some important differences, a Pew survey finds.
Social & Demographic Trends

GOP Debate's Economic Focus Mirrors Country's Growing Concern
31 Jan 08But candidates' perceptions on economic growth and tax cuts diverge from overall public priorities.
Pew Research Center

Are States Prepared for Problems When Voters Go to the Polls in 2008?
30 Jan 08Do the glitches reported during the Florida primary show that many states aren't ready for election day? Two experts debate the question.
Stateline.org

The South Carolina Democratic Primary in Black and White
28 Jan 08This time, the pre-election polls understated Barack Obama's support among both white and black voters.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

'Present' votes defended by Illinois lawmakers
25 Jan 08Obama's former colleagues in the state legislature say that attacks on his 'present votes' show that either his opponents don't understand how things work in Springfield or they are deliberately distorting his record.
Stateline.org

Raising McCain
25 Jan 08Nearly lost in the blizzard of recent poll reports were the findings of a Gallup survey that the current GOP frontrunner, John McCain, might well give each of the two Democratic frontrunners a run for their money.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Will Evangelical Voters Rally Around a Single Candidate in 2008?
24 Jan 08As voting patterns and preferences among evangelicals have become more fluid, their electoral impact may extend beyond the primaries and affect both parties in November. Two experts from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life discuss this critical voting bloc.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Election-Year Economic Ratings Lowest Since '92
An Even More Partisan Agenda Greets Bush's Final State of the Union
24 Jan 08Republicans and Democrats agree the economy should be a top priority for the president and Congress, but they differ more than ever on the importance of other domestic issues -- such as global warming and health insurance for the uninsured.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Laura Bush's Declining Favorability
Views of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Have Also Grown More Negative
24 Jan 08Laura Bush, once almost universally liked, has seen her favorability ratings slip over the past three years, especially among young adults. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also fallen from favor.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Clinton and Obama Lead Pack Again in Tight Battle for Media Attention
23 Jan 08But, thanks to press fascination with Mike Huckabee, Republicans overall generated more press than Democrats last week.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Mind the Gender Gap
18 Jan 08Does Hilary Clinton have a problem with male voters or does Barack Obama simply appeal more to men?
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Top Conservative Talkers Rap Huckabee and McCain
18 Jan 08The most popular conservative voices in talk radio last week seemed to take sides in the crowded Republican presidential field.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

In GOP Primaries: Three Victors, Three Constituencies
Romney Gains Among Non-Evangelical Conservatives
16 Jan 08The Republican nomination contest is being increasingly shaped by ideology and religion, while the dynamics of the Democratic race are more heavily influenced by class, race and gender.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Clinton is the Big Winner Last Week in the Race for Coverage
15 Jan 08The resurrection in New Hampshire of John McCain's once-dead campaign did not translate into similar largesse of media attention.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

The Internet's Broader Role in Campaign 2008
11 Jan 08The internet is living up to its potential as a major source for news about the presidential races. Nearly a quarter of Americans say they regularly learn something about the campaign from the internet, almost double the percentage at a comparable point in 2004.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Only Half of Public Can Name Both Iowa Winners, but Many Complain of Too Much Media Coverage
10 Jan 08In the wake of his Iowa victory, Barack Obama for the first time supplanted Hillary Clinton as the most visible presidential candidate.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Getting It Wrong
10 Jan 08Several factors deserve exploration, but one should not ignore the possibility of the longstanding pattern of pre-election polls overstating support for black candidates among white voters, particularly white voters who are poor.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

New Hampshire Teaches News Media a Lesson
10 Jan 08It wasn't quite "Dewey Defeats Truman," but after the Jan. 8 Granite State primary confounded many pollsters and pundits, a key story in coverage of the McCain and Clinton victories was the media's proclivity to predict and pre-analyze the results.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

With Focus on the Presidential Race, Stakes are High at the State Level Too
10 Jan 08While attention is focused on this year's presidential election, races with equal or even greater power to impact folks' everyday lives will be decided at the state level, including 11 governors' contests, key legislative races and numerous ballot initiatives.
Stateline.org

22 Governors Weigh in on Presidential Race
8 Jan 08Candidates covet endorsements by state chief executives, and so far 22 governors have announced their choices.
Stateline.org

The Public’s Not-So-Happy New Year
4 Jan 08Americans begin 2008 with a highly negative view of national conditions and President Bush, and with tempered expectations for the coming year. More Democrats look forward to elections, but Republicans are more optimistic about the year ahead.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

At the Start of the Primary Season, Republicans Run Neck and Neck Nationally, Clinton Clings to Solid Lead
2 Jan 08On the eve of the Iowa caucuses, Giuliani's once solid lead in nationwide polls has vanished; religion has become a larger factor for GOP voters as Huckabee has become better known. The Democratic contest remains largely stable nationwide despite close state races.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Primary Preview: Dynamics Differ for the Two Parties in Early Races
Personal and Tactical Factors Matter Most for Democratic Candidates, Ideological Divides for Republican Candidates
19 Dec 07For Democratic candidates, the decisive factors in Iowa and New Hampshire are personal and tactical; for GOP contestants, however, the ultimate outcome may be decided by the relative strength of newly combative ideological elements.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Oprah Boosts Obama's Visibility; Republicans Applaud Romney Speech
13 Dec 07Awareness of Winfrey's support for Obama was equally high across parties, genders and racial groups; leading GOP candidates still lag behind Obama and Clinton in public visibility.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Courting of Iowa and New Hampshire: Many are Robo-Called but Fewer Are Listening
7 Dec 07Voters, especially Democrats, in two early primary states are being inundated with phone calls, mail and other campaign contacts; but so far there are few signs of campaign fatigue.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Hispanics and the 2008 Election: A Swing Vote?
6 Dec 07Earlier Republican Party gains among Latinos have dissipated in the past year, a new Pew Hispanic Center survey finds. Hispanics also comprise a sizable share of voters in four "swing states" that President Bush narrowly carried in 2004.
Pew Hispanic Center

How the World Rates Women as Leaders
5 Dec 07On Dec.10, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will become Argentina's first female president, joining 11 other female prime ministers and presidents. But a Pew Global Attitudes survey finds world publics hold mixed opinions about women political leaders.
Pew Global Attitudes Project

GOP Race Unsettled in Politically Diverse Early States
4 Dec 07Likely Republican voters in the three politically disparate early primary states express less enthusiasm about their field of presidential candidates, and many voice only modest support for their choices.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Opinion About Mormons
Mitt Romney Discusses His Religion
4 Dec 07Mitt Romney's speech discussing the role of religion in American politics addressed a public among which many harbor doubts about his Mormon faith.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Clinton Pressed in Iowa, But Holds Solid Leads Elsewhere
3 Dec 07Democrats enter the presidential primary campaign upbeat about their candidates and united in their views on major issues. Sen. Hillary Clinton is the Democratic frontrunner in three key early primary states, holding a slim five-point edge in Iowa and more substantial 19-point and 14-point leads in New Hampshire and South Carolina, respectively.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Immigration Takes Center Stage at GOP YouTube Debate
Public Says It Prefers Questions From "Regular" People
29 Nov 07In a format the public says it prefers -- "regular people," not journalists, posing the questions -- immigration emerged as the hot-button issue. Were the candidates' answers in sync with GOP voters' opinions?
Pew Research Center

Public Sees Progress in War Effort
27 Nov 07For the first time in a long time, nearly half of Americans express positive opinions about the situation in Iraq and judgments about the overall situation in Iraq have been improving steadily since the summer.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The View from the Other Side
How Republicans Rate the Democratic Candidates, and Democrats Rate the Republicans
19 Nov 07A survey finds no evidence that a significant number of voters are considering crossing party lines -- or voting strategically for the other party's weakest candidate.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Tracking the Traders
A Look at the Buyers and Sellers Who Make the Stock Market Go Up and Down
19 Nov 07A look at the attitudes of the regular buyers and sellers who make the stock market go up and down finds they are, among other things, even more likely to support the frontrunners in both the Democratic and Republican primaries.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Election '07: Lessons Learned
8 Nov 07Tuesday's elections proved once again that all politics is local as voters in three states soundly rejected governors' pet projects and others put big-ticket spending items on the state's credit card while providing possible clues to the voters' mood for '08. Also a graphic look at the before and after in three states where the entire legislatures were up for grabs.
Stateline.org

Religious Groups' Presidential Candidate Preferences
7 Nov 07A new analysis of recent surveys show Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani as the preferred candidates among key religious groups. Giuliani, though, garners considerably less support from white evangelical Protestants than he does from white mainline Protestants and white Catholics.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Election '07: Tuesday's Winners and Losers
7 Nov 07A roundup of state legislature and gubernatorial race outcomes and a look at the fate of high profile ballot initiatives across the states.
Stateline.org

A Year Later: Public Dissatisfied With Democratic Leaders, But Still Happy They Won
7 Nov 07Republican leaders share blame for Congress's lack of productivity; Democrats holds 12-point advantage over GOP as better able to manage the federal government.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

A Year Ahead, Republicans Face Tough Political Terrain
31 Oct 07A year before the 2008 presidential election, most major national opinion trends decidedly favor the Democrats and discontent with the state of the nation is markedly greater than it was four years ago. Also, Republicans have become less likely to say that their party is doing a good job standing up for its traditional positions.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Invisible Primary - Invisible No Longer
A First Look at Coverage of the 2008 Presidential Campaign
29 Oct 07In the early months of the 2008 campaign, the media had essentially winnowed the race to a handful of candidates and offered Americans relatively little information about their records or what they would do if elected.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Modest Interest in 2008 Campaign News
Democratic Candidates Better Known, Even Among Republicans
23 Oct 07Many more Republicans are able to recall unprompted the names of Democratic frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama than can name Rudy Giuliani and other leading GOP candidates.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

State-level Republican Candidates Stress Immigration
18 Oct 07Candidates in several states are capitalizing on voter anger over illegal immigration after Congress failed for the second year in a row to pass major immigration reforms.
Stateline.org

A Portrait of Republican Social-Issue Voters
Though Much Courted by GOP candidates, Their Impact on the Nominating Process Is Still Unclear
15 Oct 07Though much courted by GOP candidates, the impact of this voting bloc on the presidential nominating process remains unclear.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Thompson Stands with GOP Rank and File during First Debate
The Former Senator Stuck to Traditional -- and Popular -- Positions Among Republican Voters
10 Oct 07In his first appearance on a debate stage with his rivals for the Republican nomination, the former Tennessee senator stuck to very traditional -- and very popular -- positions among his party's voters.
Pew Research Center

Cancer Research, Vouchers on '07 Ballots
1 Oct 07Proposals on cancer research and school vouchers are among the questions that voters in seven states will take up during this fall's quiet election season.
Stateline.org

Dems Debate Iraq Withdrawal Timetable
27 Sep 07When debate moderator Tim Russert asked the Democratic presidential candidates if they would pledge to have all U.S. troops out of Iraq by the end of their first term, the leading candidates all declined to make a firm pledge. Are they in sync -- or out of sync -- with the views of Democratic voters on the question of an Iraq war withdrawal timetable?
Pew Research Center

Political Knowledge Update
Most of the Public Is Familiar with Key Political and Iraq Facts
24 Sep 07Take our updated quiz about prominent people and major events in the news. Then see how you did in comparison with 1,005 randomly sampled adults asked the same questions in a recent national survey conducted by the Pew Research Center.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Voters Assess the '08 Hopefuls: Clinton Seen as 'Tough,' Giuliani Viewed as 'Energetic'
20 Sep 07The public is no more engaged by the presidential campaign than in the spring, but the perceived strengths of some leading candidates are coming into focus.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Oprah Factor in Campaign '08
Do Political Endorsements Matter?
20 Sep 07Do political endorsements matter? Generally they have little impact on voter preferences, but there's no telling whether Oprah Winfrey can do for Obama what she has done for countless books and products.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Case the Candidates for '08
The Pew Forum Database Covers Presidential Contenders' Positions on Issues of Special Religious Significance and Other Domestic and Foreign Policies
17 Sep 07The Pew Forum database covers presidential contenders' positions on issues of special religious significance as well as their stands on other domestic and foreign policies.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

A Nation of "Haves" and "Have-Nots"?
Far More Americans Now See Their Country as Sharply Divided Along Economic Lines
13 Sep 07Over the past two decades, the number of Americans who see the country as divided along economic lines has increased sharply, and twice as many people now see themselves among the society's "have-nots."
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Craig Scandal Highlights Governors' Appointment Powers
10 Sep 07The sudden departure from office of a U.S. senator -- or the threat of a departure -- often thrusts governors into the national spotlight, highlighting the sometimes murky and often politicized process of how states choose congressional replacements.
Stateline.org

"First of the Fall" GOP Debate
6 Sep 07On Wednesday evening, eight Republican presidential candidates met in a debate at the University of New Hampshire. How did candidate views compare with public opinion on the topics discussed?
Pew Research Center

Religion in Campaign '08
Clinton and Guiliani Seen as Not Highly Religious; Romney's Religion Raises Concerns
6 Sep 07Religion is not currently proving to be a clear-cut positive in the 2008 presidential race. Candidates viewed by voters as the least religious are the current frontrunners for the Democratic and Republican nominations – Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani, respectively. And the candidate seen as far and away the most religious – Mitt Romney – appears handicapped by this perception because of voter concerns about Mormonism.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Fred Thompson's Online Campaign Is in Full Swing
At his website, I'mwithFred.com, the candidate-to-be is already busy reaching out to supporters
4 Sep 07When he formally enters the 2008 race this week, former Sen. Fred Thompson can behave in all ways like a presidential candidate. But on his "testing the waters" website, I'mwithFred.com, he's already been busy reaching out to supporters.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Black Enthusiasm for Clinton and Obama Leaves Little Room for Edwards
Clinton's Image Up among Liberals, Down among Conservatives; Obama Scores Best among College Educated
30 Aug 07The popularity of the two top contenders among key segments of the Democratic electorate may help explain why Edwards's populist platform has not drawn wider support so far.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

A Study in Contrasts: Clinton and Guiliani
Hillary Scores High with Democrats, Less So with the General Public; Rudy Has Broad Appeal but Weaker GOP Support
23 Aug 07Sen. Hillary Clinton is by far the most popular presidential candidate among her own party's voters, but among the general public, she has one of the lowest favorable ratings of the leading candidates. In sharp contrast, the front-running Republican candidate, Rudy Giuliani, evokes relatively modest enthusiasm from the GOP base, but is as broadly popular with all voters as any candidate in either party.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Religion and the Presidential Vote: A Tale of Two Gaps
21 Aug 07An analysis of national exit polls from 2004 shows there is not one but two religion gaps -- one based on religious affiliation and the other based on frequency of attendance at worship services. How did the gaps manifest themselves in the 2004 election and what are the possible implications for 2008?
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Democrats Debate in Iowa
20 Aug 07Sunday morning all eight Democratic candidates for president met at Drake University in Iowa. How did their views on issues ranging from Iraq to money in politics match up with public opinion data?
Pew Research Center

Presidential Campaign Isn't Making a Good First Impression
Older Men, Better Educated More Likely to Be Critical
15 Aug 07The 2008 presidential campaign already seems to be wearing out its welcome with many Americans. A 52% majority of the public offers a negative assessment of the early-blooming campaign and just one-in-five has a kind thing to say.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Democrats Address Gay Community
10 Aug 07On Thursday night six Democratic presidential candidates came together for a debate on issues important to the gay community. Candidates took on issues from gay marriage to "don't ask don't tell" and addressed a party whose rank-and-file hold ambivalent positions on some issues of concern to gays.
Pew Research Center

Democratic Candidates Labor to Win Union Support
Union Label
8 Aug 07Seven Democratic candidates met on Soldier Field in Chicago on Tuesday to address a predominantly union audience at a candidate forum sponsored by the AFL-CIO. How did candidate views stack up with public opinion?
Pew Research Center

Republicans Preach to the Base in Sunday Morning Debate
But Views Differ from Those of Political Independents, Democrats
6 Aug 07Less than a week before the Iowa straw poll, the nine Republican presidential candidates squared off in Des Moines. Candidate views generally mirrored those of the Republican rank-and-file, but were often at odds with the opinions of the general public.
Pew Research Center

A Summer of Discontent with Washington
Clinton Widens Lead, Giuliani Slips
2 Aug 07All three branches of the federal government are under fire from the American public. Just 29% approve of President Bush's job performance while the proportion with a favorable view of Congress has declined 12 percentage points since January. Even favorable opinions of the U.S. Supreme Court have fallen, from 72% in January to 57% currently.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Hillary Clinton Most Visible Presidential Candidate
Republicans Say Campaign is Being Over-Covered
26 Jul 07Hillary Clinton leads all Democrats with 42% of the public saying they have heard the most about her in the news lately.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Uploading Democracy: Candidates Field YouTube Questions
24 Jul 07Tuesday night's Democratic debate was widely anticipated for its groundbreaking format. Candidates took on a host of issues asked by citizens via YouTube videos; what follows is an analysis of the format and major themes of the debate as compared with public opinion data.
Pew Research Center

The Latino Electorate: A Widening Gap between Voters and the Larger Hispanic Population in the U.S.
24 Jul 07Latinos made up a slightly larger share of the total voter turnout in the 2006 election than in 2002; but, a new Pew Hispanic analysis finds, the Latino vote continued to lag well behind growth of the Latino population primarily because a high percentage of the new Hispanics in the U.S. are either too young to vote or are not citizens.
Pew Hispanic Center

Campaign Internet Videos: "Sopranos" Spoof vs. "Obama Girl"
Made for the Web but Viewed More on TV than Online
12 Jul 07They originate on the internet, but more people are viewing them on TV than online.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Are Candidate Web Sites Propaganda or News?
12 Jul 07Through their official websites, the campaigns themselves are challenging the press as a destination for news.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

How Muslims Compare With Other Religious Americans
In Intensity of Religious Identity, Not Unlike Evangelicals
6 Jul 07Although Muslims constitute a small minority in the United States, in many ways, they stand out not so much for their differences as for their similarities with other religious groups, especially evangelicals.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Democrats Go Domestic: Analyzing the 6-28 Debate
A Comparison of the Candidates' Views with Those of the Public
29 Jun 07Before a predominantly black audience at Howard University, the eight candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination focused on issues of special interests to minorities including health care, education, taxes and racial discrimination.
Pew Research Center

Religious Republicans: Hanging Tough with Bush
GOP Presidential Candidates May Still Need Strong Backing from Church-Going Conservatives
22 Jun 07A dilemma for GOP Presidential Candidates: They're distancing themselves from Bush, but may still need strong backing from his faithful church-going supporters.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Bloomberg Well Known, But of Limited Appeal for Now
20 Jun 07Michael Bloomberg has created some excitement in the political world about a possible run for the presidency by dropping his Republican affiliation. But a recent nationwide Pew voter survey found that while the New York mayor is relatively well known, his appeal is very modest at this point.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Support for '08 Presidential Candidates among Religious Groups
18 Jun 07The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life examines the support for the 2008 presidential candidates among some religious groups, including white evangelical Protestants, white mainline Protestants and non-Hispanic Catholics.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Mixed Views on Immigration Bill
Democratic Leaders Face Growing Disapproval, Criticism on Iraq
7 Jun 07The public is ambivalent about the immigration bill being debated in the Senate, but a majority favors one of its key goals - providing a way for illegal aliens to become citizens. The public supports such a provision even when it is described as "amnesty," a new Pew survey finds.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

¡Here Come 'Los Evangélicos'!
6 Jun 07Next week's National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. illustrates the growing presence and increasing political influence of Latino evangelicals. If Republicans have a prayer of making deep inroads into the Hispanic community, evangelicals may well provide their most direct route.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

The 6-5-07 Republican Debate: Comparing Candidate Views with Public Opinion
6 Jun 07Ten candidates for the 2008 Republican nomination for president squared off last night in a debate held in New Hampshire. Here is a run-down of how their views on key issues stacked up against the attitudes of the general public and of self-identified Republicans, Democrats and independents, as measured by recent Pew Research Center surveys.
Pew Research Center

Thompson Demonstrates Broad Potential Appeal
Bush Approval Falls to 29% -- Lowest Ever
5 Jun 07A new Pew Research Center for the People & the Press survey finds broad potential appeal among Republicans for the all-but-announced candidacy of former Sen. Fred Thompson; meantime President Bush's approval rating has sunk to an all-time low of 29%.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The 6-3-07 Democratic Debate: Comparing Candidate Views with Public Opinion
4 Jun 07Eight candidates for the 2008 Democratic nomination for president squared off Sunday night in New Hampshire. Here is a run-down of how their views on key issues stacked up against the attitudes of the general public and of self-identified Democrats, Republicans and independents.
Pew Research Center

Political Divide in Views of Campaign Coverage
Public Wants More Coverage on Issues, Less on Fundraising
1 Jun 07About half the public believes that press coverage of 2008 presidential candidates has been fair, but there are partisan differences in these evaluations. A plurality of Republicans say the press has been too easy on Democratic candidates.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Florida's Fast Break Accelerates Presidential Primary Stampede
23 May 07The state's leapfrog move further complicates an already chaotic presidential primary process.
Stateline.org

Rev. Falwell's Moral Majority: Mission Accomplished?
17 May 07When the late Rev. Jerry Falwell disbanded the Moral Majority in 1989, he declared that "our mission is accomplished." If Falwell meant that evangelical Christians had come to accept the idea that organized religion should play an activist role in the political process, his claim of success is well-supported by public opinion surveys.
Pew Research Center

Deconstructing the Debate 5/15/07
How Well Did the GOP Candidates' Views Match Those of Their Party's Members and of the General Public?
16 May 07A review of recent polling reveals that on most -- though not all issues -- the candidates are in tune with the majority of Republicans, but somewhat at odds with the broader public.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Presidential Politics and Mormon Faith
16 May 07Surveys show strong public misgivings about the religion and some 30% of the public say they are less likely to support a Mormon presidential candidate.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Are Americans Ready to Elect a Female President?
Past Statewide Elections Suggest Gender Is Not an Obstacle -- at Least for Democratic Candidates
9 May 07When evaluating Sen. Hillary Clinton's 2008 prospects, one question remains inescapable: Are American voters ready to pick a female president? A review of exit polls in statewide elections suggests that, at least for Democratic candidates, being a woman is not an obstacle.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Closeness to Troops Boosts Support for War -- but Not By Much
9 May 07Those with close contacts to servicemembers in Iraq or Afghanistan tend to be more supportive of the Iraq war but their differences with those who are not closely connected are relatively modest.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Can Secular Democracy Survive in Turkey?
Turmoil over a Presidential Choice Highlights Turks' Concerns about Religious Influence in Political Life
4 May 07By nominating an observant Muslim for the Turkish presidency, Prime Minister Erdogan inadvertently highlighted deep-rooted tensions about the role of religion in the nation's political life.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

The GOP's Invisible Men
Democratic Candidates Dominate the News
2 May 07Heading into their first debate Thursday evening, what Republican candidates for the presidency need most is to gain visibility. The latest News Interest Index survey finds Clinton and Obama are far more visible, even to Republicans.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Surge in Support for Social Safety Net
Sympathy for the Poor and for Government Aid Programs Returns to 1980s Levels
2 May 07Support for government programs to help disadvantaged Americans, as well as sympathy for the plight of the poor, have surged since 1994 and returned to levels last seen in 1990 prior to welfare reform, with gains occurring among virtually every major social, political and demographic group.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Republicans Can't Possibly Win in '08...or Can They?
2 May 07Indicators of voter sentiment suggest most of the public wants change and may likely vote Democratic next year. Are aspirants for the GOP nomination wasting their time? Don't be too sure.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Campaign '08: Analysis of Key Voter Groups
Solid Majority Favors Troop Withdrawal, But Both Sides Reject Compromise over Iraq Funding
26 Apr 07Who's most inspiring? Who's most electable? Find out how liberals and conservatives, war supporters and opponents and other segments of the electorate rate the presidential candidates. Also, a solid majority of the public favors troop withdrawal, but both sides reject compromise over Iraq funding.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Money Walks
Republicans Are Losing Ground among the Affluent, Too
12 Apr 07The Republican Party has traditionally garnered it strongest backing from wealthier voters. But the recent overall decline in Republican Party affiliation nationwide has taken a toll even on GOP support among affluent voters.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Immigration Divide
Reform is a Potential Wedge Issue for Both Republicans and Democrats
12 Apr 07With his renewed push for a comprehensive immigration bill, President Bush is advancing a potentially powerful political wedge issue, but one with an unlikely twist: Immigration fractures the president's own party at least as much as it divides the opposition.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Culture War and the Coming Election
At the moment no hot-button issue looms but events could change that quickly
11 Apr 07No hot-button issue currently dominates in the presidential campaigns, but court decisions and other events could change that quickly.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

News Leaks Remain Divisive, but Libby Case Has Little Impact
Unauthorized Disclosures to Media Seen as Motivated More by Personal than Political Reasons
5 Apr 07Attitudes towards news leaks are virtually the same now as in 1986, with the public about evenly split between those who say leaks serve the public interest and those who say they harm it.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Who Do You Trust for War News?
The Public Now Puts Little Confidence in the Descriptions of Iraq Provided by Either the Military or the Press
5 Apr 07Four years into the Iraq war, most Americans say they have little or no confidence in the information they receive -- from either the military or the media -- about how things are going on the ground.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The NRA's Image Improves as Support for Gun Control Slips
4 Apr 07Surveys taken before the Virginia Tech shootings showed that Americans had become less disposed to support gun control measures than they were in the years surrounding the Columbine school shootings in 1999.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Giuliani, McCain Lead Among Evangelical Republicans
23% Still Undecided
2 Apr 07The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life debuts its newly redesigned website with an early look at white evangelical Republicans and their candidate preferences for the 2008 presidential campaign. White evangelicals who are Republicans or Republican leaners divide their support between Rudolph Giuliani and John McCain.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Democrats Fail to Impress in First 100 Days
Post-Walter Reed, Government Faulted on Vets' Care, Military Ratings Slip
29 Mar 07As the Democratic-led Congress approaches the 100-day mark, pluralities approve of House Speaker Pelosi's and Senate Majority Leader Reid's leadership. But Democrats get mixed reviews on campaign promises and policies and proposals.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Solid Majority Favors Congressional Troop Deadline
Some rise in optimism about current Iraq situation, but only 36% think surge will work in the long-run
26 Mar 0740% now say the situation in Iraq is going fairly or very well but nearly six in ten want their representative to vote for a withdrawal deadline and only 36% think the U.S. troop buildup will work.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Trends in Attitudes Toward Religion and Social Issues: 1987-2007
22 Mar 07As the '08 elections approach, what are the views of Republicans, Democrats and the general public on "social values" issues? And how have they changed over time?
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Trends in Political Values and Core Attitudes: 1987-2007
Political Landscape More Favorable To Democrats
22 Mar 07Increased public support for the social safety net, signs of growing public concern about income inequality, and a diminished appetite for assertive national security policies have improved the political landscape for the Democrats as the 2008 presidential campaign gets underway.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Trends in Public Opinion about the War in Iraq, 2003-2007
15 Mar 07On the fourth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the public has turned against the decision to use military force. But views of how the military effort is going, while now decidedly negative, have been more volatile, and Americans have been slow to conclude that U.S. troops should be withdrawn.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Which Governor Has the Most Clout?
Massachusetts' Chief Executive Out-Powers His Peers in Alaska, Maryland, and New Jersey -- Not to Mention New York and California
9 Mar 07In a new ranking of the states, Massachusetts' chief executive out-powers his peers in Alaska, Maryland and New Jersey -- not to mention New York and California.
Stateline.org

Foreign Policy: The Public Sends a Muddled Message
No Clear Directions for Policymakers
8 Mar 07Opinion surveys find much in the way of public frustration, but little in the way of direction on the international and military front.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

A Verdict on the Media's Verdict on the Libby Trial
Not Guilty of Overt Celebration
8 Mar 07The jury has spoken in the perjury and obstruction trial of Scooter Libby that so intimately involved the journalism profession itself. We know the vice-president's former top aide was found guilty. But who and what else did the media implicate in its post-verdict coverage?
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Voters Remain In Neutral As Presidential Campaign Moves Into High Gear
Republicans Lag in Engagement and Enthusiasm for Candidates
23 Feb 07Latest Pew poll finds Republicans lagging Democrats in attention to the race and enthusiasm for candidates. Clinton is Democrats' strongest choice but Obama leads among independents; Giuliani tops McCain in popularity among Republicans and independents.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

War Support Slips, Fewer See Positive Outcome
New Poll Also Finds Growing Pessimism about Deficit, Rich-Poor Gap
15 Feb 07Two-thirds of the public now says that the U.S. military effort in Iraq is not going well, reflecting a sharp increase in the last year. And most say the country is also losing ground in problem areas from the federal budget to corruption to the environment.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

How Reliable Are the Early Presidential Polls?
14 Feb 07As the number of declared presidential candidates grows, followers of early poll readings should bear in mind some caveats. Early frontrunners for the Republican nomination in most of the past seven open contests have gone on to win the nomination, but this year there are two GOP frontrunners instead of one clear leader. On the Democratic side, even when there is a clear frontrunner as there is this year with Sen. Hillary Clinton, the early polls have been less reliable in predicting who will capture the nomination.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Primary Scramble Prompts Calls to Slow Down
12 Feb 07The scramble among states to move up their presidential primaries next year has renewed calls from a number of the nation's chief election officers to end the helter-skelter and move to a slower nominating process, such as by staging four regional primaries.
Stateline.org

Can You Trust What Polls Say about Obama's Electoral Prospects?
Two Important Trends Suggest Americans May Now Be Ready to Elect an African American President
7 Feb 07The strong showing of Democrat Barack Obama in early trial heat polls for the 2008 presidential election raises anew the question of whether the American public is ready to support an African American candidate for president. Recent polling points to two significant shifts on this question.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Election Newshounds Speak Up
Newspaper, TV and Internet Fans Tell How and Why They Differ
6 Feb 07If you ask political news consumers what they like most about their favorite platform for news, a vivid image of a typical TV, newspaper, and internet political news consumer will emerge from their own comments. All three media forms win praise from their primary fans for their convenience but the context for its definition varies.
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Mega-donors Get Mixed Election Returns
Wealthy Contributors Find that Big Bucks Sometimes Backfire
5 Feb 07A bevy of big donors poured some of their personal fortunes into last year's gubernatorial, state legislative and ballot-measure contests. But the super-rich had a mixed record in their single-handed efforts to sway election outcomes. In some cases, the motives of wealthy donors even backfired against their candidates or causes.
Stateline.org

Top of the News: Politics, War, and a Crucial Speech
PEJ News Coverage Index: Jan. 21-26, 2007
30 Jan 07One not-so-subliminal message in last week's coverage is that of an increasingly dangerous and destabilizing world.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Global Warming: A Divide on Causes and Solutions
Public Views Unchanged by Unusual Weather
24 Jan 07New poll finds continuing broad agreement that the earth is getting hotter, but few rate the phenomenon a top priority for action.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Broad Support for Political Compromise in Washington
But Many Are Hesitant to Yield on Contentious Issues
22 Jan 07A large majority of the American public thinks the country is more politically polarized than in the past, and an even greater number expresses a strong desire for political compromise. Fully three-quarters say they like political leaders who are willing to compromise, compared with 21% who see this as a negative trait.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Election 2006 Online
The Internet Is Creating a New Class of Web-Savvy Political Activists
17 Jan 07A new poll finds the number of Americans who got most of their information about the 2006 campaign on the internet doubled from the 2002 mid-term election, and many used the web to become politically involved.
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Most Oppose President Bush's New Iraq Plan
But New Poll Finds Surging GOP Support for a Troop Surge
16 Jan 07President Bush's plan to send roughly 21,000 additional troops to Iraq has drawn broad opposition from the American public. If anything, the plan has triggered increased partisan polarization on the debate over what to do in Iraq.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

A Portrait of "Generation Next"
How Young People View Their Lives, Futures and Politics
9 Jan 07A new generation has come of age, shaped by an unprecedented revolution in technology and dramatic events both at home and abroad. They are Generation Next, the cohort of young adults who have grown up with personal computers, cell phones and the internet and are now taking their place in a world where the only constant is rapid change.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Democrats in Congress Top the Week's News
The Debut of the PEJ News Coverage Index
9 Jan 07The changing of the political guard in Washington, the death of a president and the hanging of a dictator were enough to overshadow the war in Iraq in the American news media last week, according to the inaugural edition of the PEJ News Coverage Index.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

The Complicated Politics of Free Trade
Unrestricted Trade Makes for Strange Political Bedfellows
4 Jan 07Crafting effective U.S. trade policies in an era of rapid economic globalization is tough. But the politics of free trade are even tougher -- particularly for Democrats, according to a recent national survey conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

What Was -- and Wasn't on the Public's Mind
...And How Opinions Changed During 2006
20 Dec 06Once again, public opinion played a major role in the most important news stories of the year. Some of the strongest 2006 trends in public opinion carried over from previous years -- notably growing concern about the Iraq war and mounting dissatisfaction with the performance of the Republican-controlled Congress.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

There's a Robot on the Line for You
This Election Year, Voters Were Bombarded with Recorded Telephone Messages
20 Dec 06Nearly two-thirds of registered voters (64%) received recorded telephone messages in the final stages of the 2006 mid-term election. These so-called "robo-calls" were the second most popular way for campaigns and political activists to reach voters, trailing only direct mail.
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Free Trade Agreements Get a Mixed Review
51% Say U.S. Has Responsibility to "Do Something" in Darfur
19 Dec 06The American public continues to have a mixed opinion about free trade agreements such as NAFTA and the WTO. On balance they are seen as a good thing for the country, but Americans are divided over the impact of free trade agreements on their own personal financial situations.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public to '08 Contenders - It's Too Early
Favorable Ratings Are Mixed for Pelosi, Reid
14 Dec 06Politicians and political reporters are scrambling to book flights for New Hampshire and other presidential primary states, but the public is far from engaged in the jockeying for 2008.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Baker-Hamilton Report Evokes Modest Public Interest
Growing Number Sees Iraq Becoming 'Another Vietnam'
12 Dec 06The public has grown more negative about the situation in Iraq and President Bush's handling of the war. Half of Americans now believe the war in Iraq will turn out to be another Vietnam, while just a third think that the U.S. will accomplish its goals there.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Civil War: What's in a Name?
To Most of the American Public, the Question May Be Largely Semantic
6 Dec 06A mostly insiders-only debate about whether Iraq is in a state of civil war broke out into the open last week when two major news organizations announced that they would henceforth refer to the conflict as a civil war. According to polling in September by the Pew Research Center, much of the public had already reached that conclusion.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Religion's Role in the 2006 Election
The "God Gap" Persists, but Other Gaps Are Much Larger
5 Dec 06Pew Forum Senior Fellow John Green and American Enterprise Institute Resident Fellow Karlyn Bowman analyze polling data to address such issues as whether Democrats closed the "God gap," which religious groups were "in play" this election, and whether or not religion polarizes voters.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Parsing the '06 Latino Vote
Hispanic Voters Returned to their '02 Pattern in Supporting Democrats
27 Nov 06Widely cited findings from the national exit polls suggest Latinos tilted heavily Democratic in the 2006 election, taking back most of the support they had granted the Republicans just two years earlier. Does that mean the Latinos who flirted with the Republican Party are now firmly back in the Democratic camp?
Pew Hispanic Center

How the Media Did on Election Night
The 2006 campaign, and its climax, marked a transition in the news outlets covering it
27 Nov 06If the mid-term election of 2006 marked a transition in American political life -- the loss by the Republicans of both the House and the Senate -- the campaign also marked a transition in the rapidly changing landscape of the news media covering it.
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Religious Groups React to the 2006 Election
Most are Happy with the Democratic Victory but Want the Two Parties to Work Together
27 Nov 06The religious divide in voting that has characterized American politics over the last several elections largely persisted in the 2006 election. But people in most religious groups say they are happy that the Democrats won.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

America's Optimists: More Republican, But Fewer of Them
20 Nov 06Since 2000, people have become far more pessimistic and partisan in their views about the country's future -- and their own.
Pew Research Center

Public Cheers Democratic Victory
Expectations as High as for GOP in 1994
16 Nov 06The Democrats' big win on Nov. 7 has gotten a highly favorable response from the public. In fact, initial reactions to the Democratic victory are as positive as they were to the GOP's electoral sweep of Congress a dozen years ago.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Election '06: Big Changes in Some Key Groups
16 Nov 06In the aftermath of the 2006 election, the shifting allegiance of some important voter groups has gotten relatively little attention. One of the biggest stories is about young people. Another is what really happened to "The God Gap." And a third is about the one-fifth of voters who aren't white.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Real Message of the Midterms
14 Nov 06A sweeping election tends to invite sweeping conclusions -- and the Democrats' takeover of both houses of Congress this November provides a tempting array of opportunities for exaggeration or misinterpretation. With that in mind, let's look at the major lessons to be gleaned from the exit polls and opinion polls about how America voted this November.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Democrats Made Gains in All Regions of the Country
14 Nov 06With roughly 95% of the votes tallied so far in House races across the country, the overall partisan breakdown is 52% for Democratic candidates, 46% for Republican candidates and 2% for others. In actual votes, Democratic House candidates in 2006 have already tallied nearly 5 million more votes than they did in 2002, while the Republican tally is down more than 3 million from four years ago.
Special to the Pew Research Center

Rating the Pundits
Which prognosticator was most prescient?
13 Nov 06With each election cycle come more websites and more political predictions. With a Democratic surge apparent and more competitive contests this year, the race among prognosticating pundits was even more intense than usual. Who fared best in the 2006 midterm elections?
Project for Excellence in Journalism

Mixed Messages on Ballot Measures
8 Nov 06Even as seven more states on Election Day joined the 20 states that already had passed constitutional prohibitions on gay marriage, Arizona became the first state to reject a ballot initiative to ban same-sex marriage. South Dakota voters overrode a law that would have banned abortion in that state; anti-tax activists failed to impose limits on state spending in three states; and minimum wage hikes passed in six states.
Stateline.org

Democrats Score in Statehouses and Governors' Mansions
8 Nov 06For the first time since 1994, Democrats won control of a majority of the nation's governors' mansions, wresting away five Republican seats with unofficial results of the Nov. 7 election putting Democrats in charge in 28 states. Democratic gains also vastly outnumbered Republican gains in the nation's state legislatures, enough to take control of legislative chambers in at least six states -- including the New Hampshire House for the first time since at least 1922.
Stateline.org

Centrists Deliver for Democrats
In an election that proved to be a referendum on Bush and Iraq, political independents cast the deciding votes
8 Nov 06The key to the strong Democratic showing yesterday was the support their candidates drew from moderate and independent voters, an analysis of the exit polls shows. With more than nine-in-ten Republicans and Democrats casting ballots for representatives of their parties, just as they did two years ago, the Democrats' 57%-39% advantage among independents proved crucial.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Election '06 - GOP Edge at Stake
6 Nov 06Heading into Election Day, at least a dozen governors' races and 14 of the most competitive statehouses are still up in the air, as Democrats aim to overturn the edge Republicans gained at the state level in 1994.
Stateline.org

Election Day Stakes in the States
An interactive look at the issues and candidates
6 Nov 06Check out the issues on the ballot in each state, find out who's running for governor and other state wide offices and see what's at stake in state legislatures.
Stateline.org

Public Concern About the Vote Count and Uncertainty About Electronic Voting Machines
6 Nov 06Public doubts about the accuracy of the vote count may have some significant consequences on election day. The problem is much on the minds of some political operatives who worry that it may discourage voting among some constituencies.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Democrats and Republicans See Different Realities
Profiling the Voters
6 Nov 06The vast divide between voters who intend to vote Democratic and Republican on November 7 extends well beyond matters of opinion. These voters also see the world quite differently.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Internet and Politics: No Revolution, Yet
6 Nov 06Political fund-raising, campaigning, blogging and YouTubing are all on the rise, but they're still a small part of the election scene.
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Republicans Cut Democratic Lead in Campaign's Final Days
Democrats Hold 47%-43% Lead Among Likely Voters
5 Nov 06A nationwide Pew survey finds that the midterm election campaign has tightened considerably in the campaign's final week. Among likely voters, 47% say they plan to vote for a Democratic congressional candidate on Tuesday and 43% say they plan to vote for a Republican.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Longer Ballots Pose Many Questions
4 Nov 06Voters will be confronted with a near-record number of citizen-generated questions at the polling place Nov. 7. The questions range from the politically explosive - such as whether to ban gay marriage and abortion - to the quirky, such as whether to let grocery stores in Massachusetts sell wine.
Stateline.org

Karl Rove's Ground War Challenge
1 Nov 06In an election environment which seems to favor the Democrats in so many ways, the Republicans continue to hold two strong cards; they have more money and they are better at getting out the vote than are the Democrats.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Voter Turnout and Congressional Change
1 Nov 06In recent decades, there have been three basic ways that turnout has worked to produce the sort of "big wave" midterm that the Democrats are hoping for next week.
Special to the Pew Research Center

Lack of Competition in Elections Fails to Stir Public
Most Have Heard Little or Nothing about Redistricting Debate
27 Oct 06The concern among some politicians and political experts over the lack of competitiveness in U.S. elections is generally not shared by the public. Moreover, voters appear to lack a clear sense of whether the elections in their own House districts are competitive or not.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Historic Election Year in Gov Races
26 Oct 06This year's sweepstakes for 36 governors' seats is shaping up as one for the history books. Democrats appear poised to reverse 12 years of growing Republican gubernatorial power.
Stateline.org

Democrats Hold Double-Digit Lead in Competitive Districts
GOP Troubles Extend into Home Territory
26 Oct 06The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press shows that Iraq continues to be the dominant issue for voters. More than four-in-ten voters (45%) view the situation in Iraq as the most important, or second most important issue in their vote, the highest percentage for the six issues tested.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Can Safe Seats Save the Republicans?
26 Oct 06One of the biggest political questions in the final weeks of this Congressional campaign is whether the national trend in support for Democratic candidates is big enough to overcome the safe-seat redistricting that in recent years has led to fewer and fewer seats turning over in Congress.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Cell-Only Voters Not Very Different
Fewer Registered, More First-time Voters
26 Oct 06Political pollsters continue to cast a wary eye on the growing number of Americans who use only a cell phone and have no landline. The Pew Research Center estimates that this group now constitutes one-in-ten adults. But three Pew surveys of cell-only Americans this year have found that their absence from landline surveys is not creating a measurable bias in the bottom-line findings.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Are National Polls Reliable Predictors of Midterm Elections?
The record shows that so-called "generic ballots" do a good job
26 Oct 06National elections are the high season for pollsters and with Election Day now less than two weeks away, new polls on the fight for Congress are being released nearly every day. Commonly, pollsters use something called the "generic ballot" to assess the state of the congressional race. Just how accurate is the "generic ballot" in predicting election results?
Pew Global Attitudes Project

Who Votes, Who Doesn't and Why
How Voters and Non-Voters Differ
18 Oct 06A new survey finds large differences between Americans who are not registered to vote or vote only rarely and those who cast ballots at least some of the time. These two groups at the bottom of the voting participation scale are much less likely than regular or intermittent voters to believe that voting will make much of a difference.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Evangelicals and the GOP: An Update
Strongly Republican Group Not Immune to Party's Troubles
18 Oct 06White evangelical Protestants have become the most important part of the Republican Party's electoral base, making up nearly one-in-four of those who identify with the GOP and vote for its candidates. This analysis examines the current state of evangelical support for the GOP, in light of the approaching 2006 elections.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

November Turnout May Be High
Democrats Hold Enthusiasm, Engagement Advantage
11 Oct 06Unlike the past three mid-term election campaigns, Democrats are more enthusiastic than Republicans about voting this year.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

In Pursuit of Values Voters: Religion's Role in the 2006 Election
A round table discussion
11 Oct 06In a Pew Forum roundtable conversation, Forum senior fellow John Green and two prominent journalists speculate that it will be difficult for the Republican Party to mobilize evangelicals to go to the polls in great numbers next month. They also discuss challenges faced by the Democratic Party in appealing to this segment of the electorate.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Growing Number of Liberal Democrats
11 Oct 06About one-third of Democratic voters now describe themselves as liberal, an increase since 2000, when just one-in-four Democrats self-identified with the "L-word." Meantime, some 41% of Democrats now call themselves moderate and 23% say they are conservatives.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Iraq Looms Large in a Nationalized Election
Congressional Race Unchanged After Foley's Resignation
5 Oct 06A new poll finds dismay about U.S. military action in Iraq at its highest level since the war began and many voters say the issue will be primary in their ballot decisions come November. Resignation of Rep. Foley has little impact so far.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Lenski on Exit Polls in the Coming Elections
28 Sep 06In an exclusive interview, Joe Lenski of Edison Media Research reflects on conducting his first election day survey following the death of his former partner, exit poll pioneer Warren Mitofsky. He also reveals steps that will be taken to avoid problems associated with the 2004 poll.
Pew Research Center

Blue States Get Even More Democratic
Party ID: Red States Still Red, Swing States Deadlocked
27 Sep 06Red States Stay Red, Blue States Get Bluer, Swing States Deadlock
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

God's Country?
Evangelicals & U.S. Foreign Policy
26 Sep 06In recent years, evangelicals have helped to put conservatives at the helm of U.S. foreign policy, while focusing their energies on a few issues including support for Israel and promotion of religious freedom abroad. Now, they are showing interest in global warming and other issues traditionally seen as liberal.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Bush's September Gains: A Mixed Picture
Little Boost for GOP in Generic Ballot
22 Sep 06Polls show little boost for GOP in generic ballot.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Politics in Cyberspace
As Mid-Term Elections Loom, a Record Number of Americans Look to the Net for Information and Guidance
20 Sep 06With mid-term elections approaching, record numbers of Americans are turning to the internet for information on politics and campaigns.
Pew Internet & American Life Project

Democrats Hold Solid Lead; Strong Anti-Incumbent, Anti-Bush Mood
14 Sep 06Voters view the coming elections through the prism of national issues and concerns
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Charting the Mid-Term Election
Late Summer Indicators, 1990-2006
6 Sep 06A comparison of key political and economic indicators that will help shape this November's mid-term election with the same indicators taken at the same stage of the previous four mid-term campaigns offers good and bad news to both parties.
Pew Research Center

How Often Do Members of Congress Tell the Truth?
6 Sep 06Not often, two political scientists found. Plus, economists say they know why tall people earn more.
Pew Research Center

Democrats Face Ideological Split Over Wal-Mart
Attacks on Company May Turn On Liberals, Turn Off Moderates
30 Aug 06Leading Democrats have attacked the employment practices of Wal-Mart, but the party's rank-and-file is divided about the company. Liberals are negative, while conservatives and moderates have a positive view.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Many Americans Uneasy with Mix of Religion and Politics
69% Say Liberals Too Secular, 49% Say Conservatives Too Assertive
24 Aug 06Many Americans are uneasy with the mix of religion and public life. Some 69% say liberals have gone too far to keep religion out of schools, but 49% say conservatives are too eager to project their religious values into the public sphere.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Voters Focus on Domestic Issues, Despite Crises Abroad
17 Aug 06War in Lebanon, widening violence in Iraq and the foiled airline terror plot failed to produce big changes in attitudes toward Israel or President Bush while economic worries continue to dominate the voting agenda.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Conflicted About Press Reports of Bank Record Monitoring
8 Aug 06Majority says reports hurt interest of American people -- but even bigger majority says they tell citizens something they should know.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

A Do-Nothing Congress That's Done Too Much of the Wrong Thing
The Public Is Not Impressed
8 Aug 06Approval ratings and reelect numbers are way down.
Pew Research Center

Americans' Support for Israel Unchanged by Recent Hostilities
Domestic Political Distemper Continues
26 Jul 06A new Pew poll conducted July 6-19 finds little change in public sympathy for Israel in its dispute with the Palestinians, while Americans remain dissatisfied with the state of the nation and with the president's performance.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Wedge Issues on the Ballot
Can State Initiatives on Gay Marriage, Minimum Wage Affect Candidate Races?
26 Jul 06Democratic leaders, impressed by the purported success of GOP-backed ballot initiatives to ban same sex marriage in the 2004 election are pushing their own wedge initiatives to increase the minimum wage. But are such ballot measures really as potent as claimed?
Pew Research Center

2006 National Survey of Latinos: The Immigration Debate
13 Jul 06New survey finds Hispanics in the U.S. are feeling discriminated against, politically energized and unified following the immigration policy debate and the pro-immigration marches this spring.
Pew Hispanic Center

The Heat Over Global Warming
Americans generally agree that temperatures are climbing but there is no consensus about what, if anything, to do about it.
12 Jul 06New findings from a Pew Research Center for the People & the Press poll show that public attitudes about global warming are deeply divided along partisan lines. But even among Democrats, global warming ranks low relative to other issue priorities.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Mitofsky on Mexico's Standoff
6 Jul 06Dean of exit pollsters sees Calderon hanging on to lead and expresses confidence in Mexican election system.
Pew Research Center

Do the Democrats Have a 'God Problem'?
How Public Perceptions May Spell Trouble for the Party
6 Jul 06Religion's Political Power
Pew Research Center

No Clamor for Amendment From Flag-Waving Public
28 Jun 06About two-in-three Americans fly the flag. Nearly three-in-four say flag burning should be illegal. Roughly half say it should be unconstitutional. But despite these protective instincts, there's been no public clamor demanding that Congress take steps to defend Old Glory against burners and desecrators.
Pew Research Center

'Enthusiasm Gap' Favors Democrats This Year
A Reversal from 1994
27 Jun 06A new poll finds Democrats more eager to vote, but also less happy with their party.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

A Small Boost for Bush
Views of Iraq Improve
22 Jun 06Americans are more optimistic about the U.S. achieving its goals in Iraq.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

America's Image Slips
But Allies Share U.S. Concerns about Iran, Hamas
13 Jun 06The 2006 Pew Global Attitudes survey finds that America's image has again slipped in most of the 15 countries surveyed and support for the U.S.-led war on terrorism has declined even among close U.S. allies such as Japan.
Pew Global Attitudes Project

Bush's Troubles Shake the GOP Base
Both Moderate and Conservative Partisans Grow Restless
6 Jun 06Within the GOP, the president's support has faded fastest among moderates and liberals. The drop among conservatives has been more gradual, but the implications are just as serious.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Two Americas, One American
The differences that divide us are much smaller than those that set us apart from the rest of the world
6 Jun 06The differences that divide us are much smaller than those that set us apart from the rest of the world
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Politics and the "DotNet" Generation
They may be more involved than you think -- and in ways that could change America's politics
30 May 06Not only is there evidence of a reawakening of young people to public life, but today's youth are politically distinctive in many ways.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

The Iraq-Vietnam Difference
This time, the opposition runs strongly along party lines.
16 May 06This time, the opposition runs strongly along party lines.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Attitudes Toward Immigration in Red and Blue
In Democratic-dominated counties, foreign-born residents are more populous - and more welcome
9 May 06New analysis finds predominantly Republican "red" as well as swing counties significantly more opposed to immigration - both legal and illegal - than are predominantly Democratic "blue" counties, where immigrants are much more populous.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Will White Evangelicals Desert the GOP?
So Far, This Most Republican of Groups is Staying Loyal
2 May 06Although President Bush's approval rating has declined as much among white evangelicals as among the public as a whole, so far evangelicals don't seem likely to abandon the GOP this fall.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Congress Faces Record Public Discontent
Anti-Incumbent Sentiment Echoes 1994
20 Apr 06Belief that this Congress has accomplished less than its predecessors is higher than at any point in the past nine years; Republican leaders take the blame.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

A Pentecostal Primer
19 Apr 06More than half a billion people worldwide now belong to "spirit-filled" or renewalist faiths. Find out more about the past, present and future of the world's fastest growing religious movement.
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

Maximum Support for Raising the Minimum
Most Americans Now Live in States That Have Raised the Wage Floor
19 Apr 06Republican or Democrat, rich or poor, north, east, south or west, the U.S. public says it's time for a big boost for the lowest paid.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

In Search of Ideologues in America
It's Harder than You May Think
11 Apr 06Many Americans do not fit well within into either the conservative or liberal camps. Instead they find a home in one of two other U.S. political traditions, libertarian and populist, or defy attempts to pigeon-hole them.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

America's Immigration Quandary
No Consensus on Immigration Problem or Proposed Fixes
4 Apr 06Americans worry about unauthorized immigration, but disagree about specific policies to deal with it.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Diminishing Divide on Cultural Issues?
Opposition to Gay Marriage, Adoption and Military Service Declines
22 Mar 06Even as divisive policy debates continue, public acceptance of homosexual marriage, adoption and military has increased.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Can't Get No Satisfaction
Public's Current Gloom Is Out of Sync with Past Experience
22 Mar 06Public contentment with state of nation dips below 30%
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Do Deficits Matter Anymore? Apparently Not to the Public
14 Mar 06The federal debt has escalated in recent years but runaway deficits no longer top the political agenda as in the 1990s, according to a new poll analysis.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Independents Sour on Incumbents
Many Say Their Member Has Taken Bribes
7 Mar 06Allegations of corruption are fueling political discontent among independents, who are unhappy with Congress in general and their own representatives in particular.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Both Reds and Blues Go Green on Energy
But Parties Split Internally on Environmental Protections
28 Feb 06But divisions within both political parties block consensus on eco-friendly alternatives to oil.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Midterm Match-Up: Partisan Tide vs. Safe Seats
13 Feb 06This election year, two heavyweight political trends are poised for collision: GOP unpopularity and the growing power of incumbency.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Bush's Concern Over Isolationism Reflects More Than Just Rhetoric
Public Unenthused By Democracy Push
3 Feb 06When President Bush delivered a strong warning against isolationism in his State of the Union address, he was speaking to a recent and dramatic turn in public opinion, indicated by Pew polling.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Russia's Weakened Democratic Embrace
6 Jan 06As concerns grow over the state of Russia's democracy, recent polling by the Pew Global Attitudes Project finds an erosion of support for democracy among the Russian people.
Pew Global Attitudes Project

Mapping the Political Landscape 2005
1 Sep 05The Center's report offers a richly textured portrait of the American electorate, including a new analysis of 2004 election returns that reveals the congruence between where people live and how they vote.
Pew Research Center

Trends 2005
20 Jan 05The first publication of the Pew Research Center explores American public opinion and values, religion and public life, media, the Internet, Hispanics, the states and global opinion.
Pew Research Center