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Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 40%, Democrats 40%

As Congress works on a bipartisan deal to avoid another government shutdown, Republicans have lost their lead and are now running even with Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending December 15.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Democrat in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while another 40% would choose the Republican instead. This is the first time the two parties have run even since the first week of October.

Republicans held a 43% to 38% margin lead over Democrats for the last two weeks. It was their largest lead since June 17, 2012 and the highest level of support the GOP had earned since just before Election Day in early November of last year.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from December 9-15, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

58% Oppose Health Care Law’s Individual Mandate

Opposition to Obamacare's requirement that every American must have health insurance has risen to its highest level ever.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 33% of Likely U.S. Voters still believe the government should require every American to buy or obtain health insurance, showing little change from November. But 58% oppose that mandate, up from 54% last month and the highest level of opposition to date. Ten percent (10%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 14-15, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending December 14, 2013

For voters, it seems, you can’t always get what you want.

Only 12% of Likely U.S. Voters favor a federal budget that increases government spending, but that’s just what the bipartisan budget deal passed by the House late this week does. It restores billions cut by the sequester on March 30 and puts off potential savings for several years.

7% Think Congress is Doing a Good or Excellent Job

While Congress is working on a bipartisan budget deal that would prevent another partial government shutdown, its job performance ratings remains near their all-time low. Voters' criticism of their own representative in Congress is at its highest level this year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only seven percent (7%) of Likely U.S. Voters think Congress is doing a good or excellent job, unchanged from last month. Congress' positive ratings bottomed out at five percent (5%) in late December of last year but have been only slightly higher through all of 2013. Seventy-four percent (74%) rate the legislators’ performance as poor, a one-point improvement from November which marked their highest negatives in seven years of regular surveying.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 10-11, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

46% Rate Obama Poorly on Economy

Positive views of President Obama’s economic leadership have rebounded slightly since hitting its lowest level in a year-and-a-half earlier this month.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 36% of Likely U.S. Voters now give the president good or excellent marks for his handling of economic issues. That's up from 32% in early December, his lowest positives since June of last year. Forth-six percent (46%) still rate the president's economic performance as poor, down slightly from 48% in the previous survey. (To see survey question wording, click here).

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 8-9, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

14% View Education Secretary Arne Duncan Favorably

Arne Duncan is President Obama’s point man for the controversial Common Core national education standards being imposed on schools all over the country, but he remains largely unknown to voters after nearly five years of serving as the U.S. secretary of Education.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 14% of Likely U.S. Voters have a favorable opinion of Duncan, while 16% view him unfavorably. This includes four percent (4%) with a Very Favorable regard for the former chief executive officer of the Chicago school system and six percent (6%) with a Very Unfavorable one. But 63% say they have never heard of Duncan, while another eight percent (8%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on December 6-7, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology.

28% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction

Twenty-eight percent (28%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending December 8.

That's up three points from 25% the previous week and the highest level of confidence since late September. In early October during the federal government shutdown, confidence in the country’s course fell to 13%, the lowest finding in five years. A year ago, 38% said the country was heading in the right direction.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on December 2-8, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

41% Think U.S. Environment Is Getting Worse

Americans remain very positive about the water they drink and the air they breathe, but a sizable number still believes the overall environment in this country is getting worse. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds 47% of Likely U.S. Voters rate the overall quality of the environment in the United States as good or excellent, down slightly from May. Just 13% think the environment is poor. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national survey of 1,000 Likely U.S. Voters was conducted on December 8-9, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology.

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 43%, Democrats 38%

Republicans still hold a five-point lead over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending December 8.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 38% would choose the Democrat instead.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from December 2-8, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

Support for Government Health Insurance Requirements Is Down to 33%

Strong negative opinions of the new health care law are at their highest yet as opposition to the government requiring every insurance plan to cover the exact same set of medical procedures grows. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 40% of Likely U.S. Voters now have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of the health care law, while 56% view it at least somewhat unfavorably. The passion remains on the side of the opponents. The new findings include 19% with a Very Favorable view of the law, while 47% have a Very Unfavorable one. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 6-7, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending December 7, 2013

President Obama got some good late-week news with the drop of the unemployment rate to a five-year low and better-than-projected economic growth in the third quarter. It remains to be seen whether these trends continue and offset the damage done by Obamacare’s disastrous debut.

25% Say Country is Heading in the Right Direction

Twenty-five percent (25%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending December 1.

That's down one point from 26% the previous week. In early October during the federal government shutdown, confidence in the country’s course fell to 13%, the lowest finding in five years. A year ago, 41% said the country was heading in the right direction.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on November 25-26 and December 1, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

48% Rate Obama Poorly on Economy

Positive views of President Obama's economic leadership have fallen to their lowest level in 18 months.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 32% of Likely U.S. Voters now give the president good or excellent marks for his handling of economic issues. These are his lowest positives since June of last year. Nearly half (48%) rate him poorly in this area, the highest level of criticism since August 2012. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 2-3, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.  

Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 43%, Democrats 38%

Republicans have jumped to a five-point lead on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending December 1.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s congressional race if the election were held today, while 38% would choose the Democrat instead.

This is the largest lead Republicans have held since June 17, 2012, and the highest level of support the GOP has earned since just before Election Day in early November of last year. Republicans edged ahead of Democrats by one point two weeks ago, the first time they had led since early August, but Democrats regained the lead by one last week. 

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports from November 25-26 and December 1, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

Obama’s Full-Month Approval Hits Two-Year Low in November

When tracking President Obama’s job approval on a daily basis, people sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations that they miss the bigger picture. To look at the longer-term trends, Rasmussen Reports compiles the numbers on a full-month basis, and the results can be seen in the graphics below.  

The president’s total job approval dipped four points to 45% in November. That is down 11 points from last December’s recent high of 56% and is the president's lowest monthly approval in two years. The president's rating inched up a point to 49% in October following the government shutdown but took a hard hit in November from the problems surrounding the rollout of the new national health care law. In recent weeks, the president's daily job approval ratings have been at the lowest levels of his presidency.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 

56% Expect Health Care System To Get Worse Under New Law

Though the Obama administration yesterday tried to assure Americans that many of the problems associated with the health care enrollment website were fixed, a majority of voters continue to believe the health care system will get worse under the new law. Voter ratings for the current system also are slightly higher than they’ve been all year.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 56% of Likely U.S. Voters believe the health care system is likely to get worse under the new national health care law. That’s up from 52% in October and is more similar to the level of pessimism measured from May through August. Just half as many (28%) expect the health care system to get better, while nine percent (9%) think it will remain about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 1, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls - Week Ending November 30

No wonder men age so noticeably in the job. Things are pretty rough for President Obama these days.

26% Say Country is Heading in the Right Direction

Twenty-six percent (26%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey for the week ending November 24.

This marks little change from the previous week when 25% felt the country was headed the right way. Still, it’s an improvement from early last month when confidence in the country’s course fell to 13% during the partial federal government shutdown. It was the lowest finding in five years. The week before Election Day a year ago, 43% said the country was heading in the right direction.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national telephone survey of 3,500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports on November 18-24, 2013. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

25% Still Haven’t Heard of HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius

Favorable opinions of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius have improved slightly from a month ago, but one-in-four voters still hasn't even heard of the government official in charge of the unpopular new national health care law. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters hold an unfavorable impression of Sebelius, showing little change from late October. But 30% now view Sebelius favorably, up from 25% last month. These findings include nine percent (9%) with a Very Favorable opinion of the HHS secretary and 28% with a Very Unfavorable one. 

Twenty-five percent (25%) of voters still haven't heard of Sebelius, while another two percent (2%) don't know enough about her to venture even a soft opinion. That compares to 31% who had no opinion of her a month ago. This is the first survey to give respondents the option of saying they have never heard of her. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. 

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 21-22, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

Voters Still Trust GOP More Than Democrats on Economy

Voters continue to trust Republicans more when it comes to the economy and also have more confidence in the GOP when it comes to another eight of the 15 major issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports. 

The economy remains the most important issue to voters in terms of how they will vote in the next congressional election, and Republicans have a 44% to 40% lead in voter trust in that area, according to new national telephone surveying. Since June 2009, the GOP has led in voter trust on the economy in all but one survey. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook 

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on November 13-14, November 17-18 and November 21-22, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.