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Poll: Majority believes alcohol more dangerous than marijuana

Thursday, Sep 3, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* A recent national poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports found that 51 percent of American adults believe alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana.

A mere 19 percent said pot is more dangerous than booze…

Younger adults are more likely than their elders to view alcohol as the more dangerous of the two.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of women say alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana, compared to 48% of men.

In the crosstabs, it looks like even a plurality of senior citizens think alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana, 35 percent vs. 22 percent, with 33 percent saying they’re both equally dangerous. The poll found that about a quarter of all respondents thought that both were equally dangerous, with 2 percent saying neither were dangerous.

57 percent of Democrats said booze was more dangerous, while 45 percent of Republicans agreed. Just 14 percent of Dems said pot was more dangerous while 25 percent of Republicans concurred with that statement.

In fact, not a single identified demographic group believed that pot was more dangerous than booze. Not one.

1,000 adults surveyed August 26-27, 2009 with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.

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Rasmussen: Quinn’s approval rating falls ten points since June (Updated with roundup)

Tuesday, Aug 18, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* More Rasmussen toplines…

How would you rate the job Pat Quinn has been doing as Governor… do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove of the job he’s been doing?

9% Strongly approve

38% Somewhat approve

32% Somewhat disapprove

17% Strongly disapprove

3% Not sure

Quinn’s 47 percent approval rating is down 10 points since Rasmussen’s June survey.

* Other numbers…

…53% have a favorable view of Quinn, while 43% see him unfavorably.

State Comptroller Daniel Hynes, a fellow Democrat, is challenging Quinn for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. He has 46% favorables and 26% unfavorables.

State Senator Bill Brady polls best among several GOP hopefuls for the governor’s office, with 29% favorables and 21% unfavorables. But 50% of voters don’t know him well enough to have an opinion.

The GOPs are unknown to voters.

* Without crosstabs, this doesn’t tell us all that much, except that the damage to Democrats may not be hugely severe…

When it comes to voting in the 2010 Elections has the state budget crisis and the Blagojevich scandal made you more likely to vote for a Democrat, less likely to vote for a Democrat or will it have no impact on your vote?

7% More likely

29% Less likely

60% No impact

3% Not sure

It’s basically just not an issue for 70 percent of voters, but who those 29 percent are could be key if they’re independents.

* Other toplines…

I’m going to read you a short list of people in the News. For each, please let me know if you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable impression. […]

8* Okay, Pat Quinn
11% Very favorable
42% Somewhat favorable
23% Somewhat unfavorable
20% Very unfavorable
4% Not sure

9* Next, Dan Hynes
6% Very favorable
40% Somewhat favorable
22% Somewhat unfavorable
4% Very unfavorable
28% Not sure

10* Okay, Kirk Dillard
4% Very favorable
18% Somewhat favorable
23% Somewhat unfavorable
4% Very unfavorable
51% Not sure

11* Fine, Matt Murphy
2% Very favorable
15% Somewhat favorable
20% Somewhat unfavorable
4% Very unfavorable
59% Not sure

12* Next, Bill Brady
4% Very favorable
25% Somewhat favorable
16% Somewhat unfavorable
5% Very unfavorable
50% Not sure

13* Okay, Dan Proft
4% Very favorable
13% Somewhat favorable
16% Somewhat unfavorable
4% Very unfavorable
62% Not sure

14* Robert Shillerstrom
4% Very favorable
14% Somewhat favorable
13% Somewhat unfavorable
8% Very unfavorable
62% Not sure

…Adding… Related…

* Will Todd Stroger seek re-election? : Sneed hears rumbles that embattled Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has been conferring with top Dem leaders — and word is that his resolve to seek re-election is weakening big-time.

* Quinn not backing off tax increase, plans to seek full term as governor

* Terry Link Announces for Guv Lite

* Cross my heart: Tom’s not running for gov

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Kirk leads Giannoulias by 3 points

Tuesday, Aug 18, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Rasmussen Reports has Kirk leading Giannoulias 41-38…

In thinking about the 2010 Election for the United States Senate, suppose you had a choice between Republican Mark Kirk and Democrat Alexi Giannoulias. If the election were held today would you vote for Republican Mark Kirk or Democrat Alexi Giannoulias?

41% Kirk

38% Giannoulias

4% Some other candidate

17% Not sure

And Kirk has a much bigger lead over Jackson…

Okay, what if the Democrats nominate Cheryle Jackson. If the 2010 election for United States Senate were held today would you vote for Republican Mark Kirk or Democrat Cheryle Jackson?

47% Kirk

30% Jackson

6% Some other candidate

17% Not sure

* But more Democrats are undecided than Republicans and independents are leaning strongly towards Kirk at the moment…

In a race against Giannoulias, Kirk gets 71% of the Republican vote. Giannoulias earns 63% Democratic support. Voters not affiliated with either party prefer Kirk 45% to 18%.

Kirk picks up 76% of Republicans in a match-up with Jackson, who has the backing of just 51% of Democrats in the state. Unaffiliateds break for Kirk again, this time by a 51% to 12% margin. […]

Among those who favor the health care reform plan, Giannoulias leads Kirk 68% to 17%. But Kirk has an even larger lead – 67% to nine percent (9%) – among voters opposed to the plan.

The electorate is still fluid.

Also, keep in mind that Rasmussen tends to skew GOP in its national polling.

More toplines…

I’m going to read you a short list of people in the News. For each, please let me know if you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable impression.

First, Mark Kirk

10% Very favorable

45% Somewhat favorable

24% Somewhat unfavorable

4% Very unfavorable

17% Not sure

6* Next, Alexi Giannoulias

13% Very favorable

38% Somewhat favorable

22% Somewhat unfavorable

11% Very unfavorable

17% Not sure

7* Okay, Cheryle Jackson

13% Very favorable

23% Somewhat favorable

23% Somewhat unfavorable

14% Very unfavorable

26% Not sure

And…

Generally speaking, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and the congressional Democrats?

29% Strongly favor
19% Somewhat favor
9% Somewhat oppose
39% Strongly oppose
3% Not sure

When it comes to health care decisions, who do you fear the most: the federal government or private insurance companies?

49% The federal government

44% Private insurance companies

7% Not sure

500 likely voters, conducted August 12. The margin of error is +/- 4.5 percentage points.

* Meanwhile…

The bathrobe bloggers are already chattering that Giannoulias has the nomination wrapped up.

Let’s hold on a minute. Here’s Jackson’s playbook:

Rake in some heavy green. While her profile will attract some soft-focused free media, this political unknown needs money big time for TV commercial time.

Jackson’s got to play the race and gender cards. She is assiduously wooing Emily’s List, the powerful national PAC that backs women candidates. As Giannoulias has done in the Greek community, she must cultivate a national profile among prominent women and monied Democratic liberals.

The black “keep-the-seaters” are an unpredictable bunch, but they could come in handy, as well.

Bathrobe bloggers?

Whatever.

* Related…

* Will Chris Kennedy run for Senate? ‘He’s been basically underground for three weeks’

* Is Senate candidate Jackson to blame for Blago blunder?

* Kirk hit on health care

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