Poll Watch: Pew Research 2012 Presidential Survey

Pew Research 2012 Presidential Poll

Likely Voters

• Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan 49% [43%]
• Barack Obama-Joe Biden 45% [51%]

Registered Voters

• Barack Obama-Joe Biden 46% [51%] {51%} (50%) [50%] {49%} (49%) [54%] {52%} (50%) [49%] {48%}
• Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan 46% [42%] {41%} (43%) [46%] {42%} (45%) [42%] {44%} (45%) [47%] {48%}

INDEPENDENTS

Likely Voters

• Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan 46% [44%]
• Barack Obama-Joe Biden 42% [45%]

Registered Voters

• Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan 44% [42%] {45%} (45%) [49%] {43%} (48%) [44%] {42%} (50%) [53%] 
• Barack Obama-Joe Biden 42% [44%] {43%} (46%) [44%] {43%} (42%) [47%] {51%} (40%) [41%]

MEN

Likely Voters

• Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan 51% [48%]
• Barack Obama-Joe Biden 43% [46%]

Registered Voters

• Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan 47% [47%] {47%} (46%) [53%] {44%} (50%) [46%] {50%}
• Barack Obama-Joe Biden 44% [46%] {46%} (47%) [43%] {46%} (44%) [49%] {45%} 

WOMEN

Likely Voters

• Barack Obama-Joe Biden 47% [56%]
• Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan 47% [38%]

Registered Voters

• Barack Obama-Joe Biden 49% [56%] {56%} (53%) [55%] {51%} (53%) [58%] {59%}
• Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan 45% [37%] {37%} (40%) [40%] {40%} (40%) [38%] {38%}

Favorable / Unfavorable {Net}

• Mitt Romney 50% [45%] {37%} (41%) [29%] (33%) [38%] / 46% [50%] {52%} (47%) [55%] (47%) [45%] {+4%}
• Barack Obama 49% [55%] {50%} (50%) [55%] (49%) [50%] / 48% [42%] {45%} (48%) [43%] (48%) [48%] {+1%}

Did you happen to watch the presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney on Wednesday night, or didn’t you get a chance to see it? [If Yes] How much of the debate did you watch: all of it, some of it, or only a little?

• Yes, all 43%
• Yes, some 20%
• Yes, a little 6%
• No, didn't watch 31%
  

(Among all registered voters) Who do you think did the better job in the presidential debate?

• Mitt Romney 66%
• Barack Obama 20%

Among registered voters who watched the debate

• Mitt Romney 72%
• Barack Obama 20%

And as I read a list of phrases, tell me if you think each phrase better describes:

Is willing to work with leaders from the other party

• Barack Obama 45% [52%]
• Mitt Romney 42% [35%]

Can get things done 

• Barack Obama 45% [41%]
• Mitt Romney 41% [39%]

Has new ideas

• Mitt Romney 47%
• Barack Obama 40%

Takes more moderate positions

• Barack Obama 49%
• Mitt Romney 39%

Connects well with ordinary Americans 

• Barack Obama 59% [66%] [59%]
• Mitt Romney 30% [23%] [28%]

Honest and truthful 

• Barack Obama 44% [48%] [46%]
• Mitt Romney 39% [34%] [32%]

A strong leader 

• Barack Obama 44% [51%]
• Mitt Romney 44% [38%]

Takes consistent positions on issues 

• Barack Obama 47% [50%] [46%]
• Mitt Romney 37% [34%] [34%]

Regardless of who you support, which one of the presidential candidates do you think would do the best job of:

Improving the job situation 

• Mitt Romney 49% [45%] (46%)
• Barack Obama 41% [46%] (42%)
  

Dealing with Medicare

• Barack Obama 46% [51%]
  
• Mitt Romney 43% [38%]

Reducing the federal budget deficit

• Mitt Romney 51% [46%] (50%)
• Barack Obama 36% [43%] (36%)
  

Having ideas about the role of government in solving problems

• Mitt Romney 47%
• Barack Obama 43%

Making wise decisions about foreign policy

• Barack Obama 47% [53%] (48%)
  
• Mitt Romney 43% [38%] (40%)

Dealing with taxes

• Mitt Romney 47% [42%] (40%)
• Barack Obama 43% [48%] (48%)
  

Dealing with health care

• Barack Obama 47% [52%] (49%) [45%]
• Mitt Romney 44% [39%] (41%) [44%]

(Among Registered Voters) Now I’m going to read a few statements that have been made about Barack Obama or Mitt Romney. Please tell me if you agree or disagree with each. 

It’s hard to know what Romney really stands for

• Agree 53%
• Disagree 44%
  

Romney is promising more than he can deliver

• Agree 62%
• Disagree 35%
  

Obama doesn’t know how to turn the economy around

• Agree 54%
• Disagree 44%
  

Obama thinks government is the solution to every problem

• Agree 46%
• Disagree 51%

Survey of 1,201 registered voters, including 1,112 likely voters, was conducted October 4-7, 2012. The margin of error is +/- 3.3 percentage points among registered voters; +/- 3.4 percentage points among likely voters.  Party ID (among likely voters): 36% [29%] Republican; 31% [39%] Democrat; 30% [30%] Independent. Party ID (among registered voters): 33% [28%] {25%} Republican; 32% [37%] {38%} Democrat; 31% [31%] {33%} Independent.  Results from the poll conducted September 12-16, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted July 16-26, 2012 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted June 28 - July 9, 2012 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted June 7-17, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted May 9 - June 3, 2012 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted April 4-15, 2012 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted March 7-11, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted February 8-12, 2012 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted January 11-16, 2012 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted November 9-14, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted September 22 - October 4, 2011 are in curly brackets.