The Catholic “Swing” Vote
Catholics are often identified as a major “swing” voting group in American politics. A new analysis shows that the only group of Catholics that has been divided in recent elections is white Catholics who identify as political moderates
Biden Viewed Unfavorably, Divided Opinions about Ryan
Ahead of Thursday’s vice presidential debate, more voters have an unfavorable view of Joe Biden, while opinions about Paul Ryan are evenly divided.
With Strong Debate Performance, Romney Erases Obama’s Lead
Mitt Romney no longer trails Barack Obama in Pew Research Center polling. Voters say Romney did a better job than Obama in the Oct. 3 debate. Romney is now better regarded on most personal dimensions and most issues than he was in September.
Social Media Debate Sentiment Less Critical of Obama than Polls and Press Are
Social media came to a much different initial verdict about the first presidential debate than did the early polls and the conventional press, according to an analysis of the conversation on Twitter, Facebook and blogs by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism.
Youth Engagement Falls; Registration Also Declines
Young voters are significantly less engaged in this year’s election than at a comparable point in 2008 and now lag far behind older voters in interest in the campaign and intention to vote.
Fewer Satisfied with Candidates than in Any Campaign Since 1992
Voters offer tepid ratings of the 2012 field. Just over half (54%) say they are either very or fairly satisfied with the presidential choices this year, while 40% say they are not too or not at all satisfied.
Fewer Satisfied with Candidates than in Any Campaign Since 1992
Voters offer tepid ratings of the 2012 field. Just over half (54%) say they are either very or fairly satisfied with the presidential choices this year, while 40% say they are not too or not at all satisfied.
Obama Ahead with Stronger Support, Better Image and Lead on Most Issues
With an eight-point lead over Mitt Romney among likely voters, Barack Obama holds a bigger September lead than the last three candidates who went on to win in November, including Obama four years ago. In elections since 1988, only Bill Clinton, in 1992 and 1996, entered the fall with a larger advantage.
Middle East Turmoil Closely Followed; Romney’s Comments Viewed Negatively
About four-in-ten Americans (43%) have followed news about the attacks on U.S. embassies in the Middle East and the killing of an American ambassador very closely. Those following have much more positive opinions about Barack Obama’s handling of the situation than Mitt Romney’s comments on the crisis.
