GWU Battleground 2009 Political Survey

How would you rate the job Barack Obama has been doing as President? Do you approve or disapprove of the job he is doing?

• Strongly Approve 40%
• Somewhat Approve 13%
• Somewhat Disapprove 5%
• Strongly Disapprove 37%

Among Independents

• Strongly Approve 27%
• Somewhat Approve 15%
• Somewhat Disapprove 7%
• Strongly Disapprove 43%

Among Men

• Strongly Approve 34%
• Somewhat Approve 15%
• Somewhat Disapprove 5%
• Strongly Disapprove 41%

Whether you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President, what is your impression of Barack Obama as a person? Do you approve or disapprove of him?

• Approve 72%
• Disapprove 20%

How would you rate the job Congress has been doing this year? Do you approve or disapprove of the job they are doing?

• Approve 34%
• Disapprove 57%

Among Independents

• Approve 21%
• Disapprove 71%

If the election for Congress were being held today, and you had to make a choice, would you be voting for the Republican candidate or the Democrat candidate in your Congressional district?

• Democrat candidate 43%
• Republican candidate 40%

*Note: Among the 60% most likely to turnout on Election Day, 45% choose the Republican candidate, followed by 40% Democrat and 16% Undecided.

Do you prefer to have:

• Divided government where Congress is controlled by one party and the White House is controlled by a different political party. 41%
• Unified government where Congress and the White House are controlled by the same political party. 39%

Among Republicans

• Divided government 56%
• Unified government 26%

Among Independents

• Divided government 53%
• Unified government 29%

Among Democrats

• Divided government 22%
• Unified government 55%

Favorable / Unfavorable (Net)

• Barack Obama 61% / 36% (+25%)
• Joe Biden 49% / 38% (+11%)
• Democrats in Congress 46% / 44% (+2%)
• Sarah Palin 42% / 47% (-5%)
• Republicans in Congress 37% / 48% (-11%)
• Harry Reid 15% / 31% (-16%)
• Nancy Pelosi 32% / 51% (-19%)

Among Independents

• Democrats in Congress 36% / 52% (-16%)
• Republicans in Congress 27% / 57% (-30%)

Who do you think will better handle this issue — Republicans in Congress or Democrats in Congress?

Holding down taxes

• Republicans in Congress 53%
• Democrats in Congress 29%

Promoting a strong national defense

• Republicans in Congress 53%
• Democrats in Congress 33%

Controlling wasteful spending

• Republicans in Congress 41%
• Democrats in Congress 33%

Reforming health care

• Democrats in Congress 51%
• Republicans in Congress 30%

Turning the economy around

• Democrats in Congress 47%
• Republicans in Congress 33%

Defending middle class values

• Democrats in Congress 48%
• Republicans in Congress 35%

Being honest and trustworthy

• Democrats in Congress 38%
• Republicans in Congress 27%

Promoting energy independence

• Democrats in Congress 49%
• Republicans in Congress 33%

Sharing your values

• Democrats in Congress 42%
• Republicans in Congress 40%

Among Independents

Who do you think will better handle this issue — Republicans in Congress or Democrats in Congress?

Holding down taxes

• Republicans in Congress 52%
• Democrats in Congress 17%

Promoting a strong national defense

• Republicans in Congress 53%
• Democrats in Congress 23%

Controlling wasteful spending

• Republicans in Congress 35%
• Democrats in Congress 22%

Defending middle class values

• Republicans in Congress 38%
• Democrats in Congress 33%

Sharing your values

• Democrats in Congress 36%
• Republicans in Congress 33%

Being honest and trustworthy

• Democrats in Congress 23%
• Republicans in Congress 23%

Reforming health care

• Democrats in Congress 40%
• Republicans in Congress 27%

Turning the economy around

• Democrats in Congress 36%
• Republicans in Congress 25%

Promoting energy independence

• Democrats in Congress 41%
• Republicans in Congress 27%

Who do you think will better handle this issue — Republicans in Congress or President Obama?

Holding down taxes

• Republicans in Congress 48%
• President Obama 36%

Promoting a strong national defense

• Republicans in Congress 51%
• President Obama 40%

Controlling wasteful spending

• Republicans in Congress 42%
• President Obama 40%

Reforming health care

• President Obama 53%
• Republicans in Congress 32%

Turning the economy around

• President Obama 53%
• Republicans in Congress 33%

Defending middle class values

• President Obama 54%
• Republicans in Congress 36%

Being honest and trustworthy

• President Obama 55%
• Republicans in Congress 25%

Promoting energy independence

• President Obama 56%
• Republicans in Congress 30%

Sharing your values

• President Obama 47%
• Republicans in Congress 43%

Among Independents

Who do you think will better handle this issue — Republicans in Congress or President Obama?

Holding down taxes

• Republicans in Congress 48%
• President Obama 28%

Promoting a strong national defense

• Republicans in Congress 58%
• President Obama 27%

Controlling wasteful spending

• Republicans in Congress 42%
• President Obama 25%

Sharing your values

• Republicans in Congress 39%
• President Obama 37%

Promoting energy independence

• President Obama 49%
• Republicans in Congress 24%

Turning the economy around

• President Obama 46%
• Republicans in Congress 26%

Reforming health care

• President Obama 41%
• Republicans in Congress 27%

Being honest and trustworthy

• President Obama 45%
• Republicans in Congress 19%

Defending middle class values

• President Obama 41%
• Republicans in Congress 36%

The Obama administration is trying to pursue too many major policy initiatives in too short of a period of time.

• Agree 63%
• Disagree 34%

The Obama administration is spending too much money on too many major policy initiatives.

• Agree 61%
• Disagree 34%

Even in this economy, Congress should still be working on comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants living here.

• Agree 50%
• Disagree 44%

Even in this economy, Congress should still be working on comprehensive immigration reform that includes requiring illegal immigrants living here to register and become taxpayers.

• Agree 81%
• Disagree 17%

With the government taking control of big companies like General Motors, we are on a path to socialism style government.

• Agree 57%
• Disagree 40%

There are companies in the United States that are too big to be allowed to fail because it would cost too many jobs.

• Agree 45%
• Disagree 50%

The economic stimulus legislation passed by Congress is working.

• Agree 33%
• Disagree 61%

The economic stimulus legislation passed by Congress is on track, but should be given a year to really make a difference.

• Agree 58%
• Disagree 38%

The Republicans in Congress are blocking change and not proposing solutions.

• Agree 48%
• Disagree 47%

The Republicans in Congress are blocking change and still supporting Bush policies.

• Agree 53%
• Disagree 41%

Among Independents

The Obama administration is trying to pursue too many major policy initiatives in too short of a period of time.

• Agree 68%
• Disagree 31%

The Obama administration is spending too much money on too many major policy initiatives.

• Agree 76%
• Disagree 17%

Even in this economy, Congress should still be working on comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants living here.

• Agree 45%
• Disagree 47%

Even in this economy, Congress should still be working on comprehensive immigration reform that includes requiring illegal immigrants living here to register and become taxpayers.

• Agree 76%
• Disagree 21%

With the government taking control of big companies like General Motors, we are on a path to socialism style government.

• Agree 61%
• Disagree 35%

There are companies in the United States that are too big to be allowed to fail because it would cost too many jobs.

• Agree 34%
• Disagree 62%

The economic stimulus legislation passed by Congress is working.

• Agree 26%
• Disagree 67%

The economic stimulus legislation passed by Congress is on track, but should be given a year to really make a difference.

• Agree 52%
• Disagree 45%

The Republicans in Congress are blocking change and not proposing solutions.

• Agree 46%
• Disagree 47%

The Republicans in Congress are blocking change and still supporting Bush policies.

• Agree 46%
• Disagree 42%

As you may have heard, there is a major debate going on in Congress regarding health care reform. One of the major issues in this debate is whether or not ensuring health coverage for all Americans should be a goal of this legislation. Would you prefer a health care reform plan that:

• Raises some taxes in order to provide health insurance to everyone. 46%
• A plan in which some people do not have health insurance but keeps taxes at current levels. 44%

Among Independents

• Raises some taxes in order to provide health insurance to everyone. 40%
• A plan in which some people do not have health insurance but keeps taxes at current levels. 45%

As you may have heard, there is a major debate going on in Congress regarding health care reform. One of the major issues in this debate is whether or not ensuring health coverage for all Americans should be a goal of this legislation. Would you prefer a health care reform plan that:

• Raises taxes on businesses and on those earning over two hundred fifty thousand dollars in order to provide health insurance to everyone. 49%
• A plan in which some people do not have health insurance but keeps taxes at current levels. 38%

Among Independents

• Raises taxes on businesses and on those earning over two hundred fifty thousand dollars in order to provide health insurance to everyone. 45%
• A plan in which some people do not have health insurance but keeps taxes at current levels. 41%

As you may have heard, Congress recently passed a bill called “cap and trade” that creates a market for businesses to buy and sell energy usage credits. Now I would like to read you two statements about this law. Please tell me which one comes closest to your own view.

• This law will lead to higher energy costs, thousands of lost jobs, and an increase in the production cost of almost every consumer good. 39%
• This law is a good way to develop clean energy technologies, to create jobs, and to reduce pollution. 43%

Among Independents

• This law will lead to higher energy costs, thousands of lost jobs, and an increase in the production cost of almost every consumer good. 43%
• This law is a good way to develop clean energy technologies, to create jobs, and to reduce pollution. 43%

I’d like to read you two viewpoints about the economy and the Congress. Please tell me which one comes closest to your own.

• Our current economic problems were made worse by the mistakes of the Bush administration. The President and Congress moved aggressively and should be given a year to have their solutions really make a difference. 57%
• Although President Obama inherited the current economic problems, he has had enough time to find solutions and we have not seen the results that he promised with the stimulus package. 33%

Among Independents

• Our current economic problems were made worse by the mistakes of the Bush administration. The President and Congress moved aggressively and should be given a year to have their solutions really make a difference. 48%
• Although President Obama inherited the current economic problems, he has had enough time to find solutions and we have not seen the results that he promised with the stimulus package. 41%

Survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted July 19-23. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points. Party ID breakdown: 42% (D); 37% (R); 19% (I).