Results and data | Oct. 23, 2008

Minnesota

Margin of error: +/-4%

Results for select poll questions:

Question 3

Some people seem to follow what’s going on in politics most of the time, whether there’s an election going on or not. Others aren’t that interested. Would you say you follow what’s going on in politics most of the time, some of the time, only now and then, or hardly at all?

	N=583	100%
Most of the time	366	62.8%
Some of the time	146	25.0%
Only now and then	61	10.5%
Hardly at all	10	1.7%
Don’t know/refused	0	0%

Question 3a

Which of the following issues do you think is the most important problem facing the country today: terrorism and national security, the economy and jobs, health care, the war in Iraq, gas prices and energy policy, taxes, or something else?

	N=583	100%
Terrorism and National Security	36	6.2%
Economy and Jobs	387	66.4%
Health Care	42	7.2%
War in Iraq	28	4.8%
Gas Prices and Energy Policy	15	2.6%
Taxes	14	2.4%
Something Else	45	7.7%
Don’t know/refused	16	2.7%

Question 4

How much of the time do you think you can trust the federal government in Washington to do what is right? Just about always, most of the time, only some of the time, or never?

	N=583	100%
Just about always	11	1.8%
Most of the Time	123	21.1%
Only Some of the Time	383	65.7%
Never	60	10.2%
Don’t know/refused	7	1.1%

Question 5

Thinking about things in the United States, do you think things in the country are generally going in the right direction, or do you feel things have gotten off on the wrong track?

	N=583	100%
Right direction	60	10.4%
Wrong track	493	84.5%
Don’t know/refused	30	5.1%

Question 6

Thinking about things in Minnesota, do you think things in Minnesota are generally going in the right direction, or do you feel things have gotten off on the wrong track?

	N=583	100%
Right direction	292	50.2%
Wrong track	259	44.4%
Don’t know/refused	32	5.5%

Question 7

Would you say that over the past year the nation’s economy has gotten better, stayed about the same or gotten worse?

	N=583	100%
Gotten better	8	1.4%
Stayed about the same	57	9.8%
Gotten worse	515	88.3%
Don’t know/refused	3	.6%

The questions about favorability for Obama, McCain, Biden, Palin, and Bush were rotated — that is, they were asked in a random order to each individual respondent.

Question 9

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Barack Obama?

	N=583	100%
Very favorable	258	44.2%
Somewhat favorable	135	23.2%
Somewhat unfavorable	71	12.2%
Very unfavorable	107	18.3%
Don’t know/refused	12	2.1%

Question 10

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of George W. Bush?

	N=583	100%
Very favorable	31	5.3%
Somewhat favorable	112	19.2%
Somewhat unfavorable	134	23.0%
Very unfavorable	302	51.8%
Don’t know/refused	4	.7%

Question 11

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of John McCain?

	N=583	100%
Very favorable	131	22.5%
Somewhat favorable	145	24.8%
Somewhat unfavorable	145	24.9%
Very unfavorable	142	24.3%
Don’t know/refused	20	3.5%

Question 12

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Joe Biden?

	N=583	100%
Very favorable	193	33.0%
Somewhat favorable	174	29.9%
Somewhat unfavorable	84	14.4%
Very unfavorable	62	10.7%
Don’t know/refused	70	12.0%

Question 13

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Sarah Palin?

	N=583	100%
Very favorable	112	19.2%
Somewhat favorable	126	21.7%
Somewhat unfavorable	104	17.9%
Very unfavorable	206	35.4%
Don’t know/refused	35	5.9%

Question 15

If the 2008 presidential election were being held today and the candidates were Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the Democrats, and John McCain and Sarah Palin, the Republicans, for whom would you vote?

	N=583	100%
Obama/Biden	311	53.4%
McCain/Palin	198	33.9%
Other	8	1.4%
Undecided	51	8.7%
Already voted for Obama/Biden	1	.2%
Already voted for McCain/Palin	2	.4%
Refused	11	1.9%

Question 15a

If undecided, which way do you lean?

	N=62	100%
Obama/Biden	22	3.8%
McCain/Palin	21	3.6%
Undecided	15	2.6%
Refused	4	.7%

Cumulative results from question 15 and 15a

Decided voters and undecided voters who are leaning one way or another.

	N=583	100%
Obama/Biden	334	57.3%
McCain/Palin	221	37.9%
Other	8	1.4%
Undecided	13	2.3%
Refused	6	1.0%

Questions 16-18: I’m going to read you a list of words and phrases that people sometimes use to describe political leaders. Please tell me who the following words and phrases describe better: Barack Obama or John McCain?

Question 16

Can bring about change

	N=583	100%
Barack Obama	368	63.1%
John McCain	155	26.5%
Same	27	4.7%
Don’t know/refused	33	5.7%

Question 18

Experienced

	N=583	100%
Barack Obama	109	18.7%
John McCain	425	72.9%
Same	17	2.8%
Don’t know/refused	32	5.5%

Question 20

When it comes to the war in Iraq, which of the following statements comes closer to your point of view?

	N=583	100%
The most responsible thing we can do is to set a firm deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops within the next 16 months.	334	57.2%
The most responsible thing we can do is to remain in Iraq until the situation in the country is stable.	220	37.8%
Unsure	13	2.3%
Don’t know/refused	15	2.7%

Minnesota-specific question

Question 23

If the 2008 Election for the United States Senate were held today, would you vote for Republican Norm Coleman, Democrat Al Franken, or Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley?

	N=583	100%
Norm Coleman	200	34.2%
Al Franken	235	40.2%
Dean Barkley	88	15.1%
Undecided	46	7.9%
Don’t know/refused	15	2.6%