Poll Watch: Washington Post/ABC News 2012 Presidential Survey

Washington Post/ABC News 2012 Presidential Poll

• Mitt Romney 47% [47%] (46%) {44%} [49%] (45%) {48%} [47%] (47%) {48%} [49%] (47%) {49%} [45%] 
• Barack Obama 46% [47%] (49%) {51%} [47%] (51%) {46%} [47%] (46%) {46%} [45%] (49%) {46%} [49%] 

(Among Obama Voters) Will you definitely vote for Barack Obama, or is there a chance you could change your mind and vote for someone else? If there's a chance you could change your mind, is there a good chance you'll change your mind, or is it a pretty unlikely chance?

• Definitely vote for Obama 84% [81%]
• Chance change mind, but unlikely 8% [13%]
• Good chance will change mind 6% [4%]

(Among Romney Voters) Will you definitely vote for Mitt Romney, or is there a chance you could change your mind and vote for someone else? If there's a chance you could change your mind, is there a good chance you'll change your mind, or is it a pretty unlikely chance?

• Definitely vote for Romney 82% [77%]
• Chance change mind, but unlikely 10% [13%]
• Good chance will change mind 5% [8%]

(Among Obama Voters) Would you say you are very enthusiastic about supporting Barack Obama, somewhat enthusiastic, not so enthusiastic, or not enthusiastic at all?

• Very enthusiastic 48% [51%] (51%)
• Somewhat enthusiastic 39% [40%] (41%)
• Not so enthusiastic 7% [5%] (4%)
• Not enthusiastic at all 4% [3%] (4%)

(Among Romney Voters) Would you say you are very enthusiastic about supporting Mitt Romney, somewhat enthusiastic, not so enthusiastic, or not enthusiastic at all?

• Very enthusiastic 42% [38%] (26%)
• Somewhat enthusiastic 41% [47%] (48%)
• Not so enthusiastic 12% [11%] (15%)
• Not enthusiastic at all 4% [4%] (9%)

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president? 

• Approve 47%
• Disapprove 50%
  

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the economy? 

• Approve 43%
• Disapprove 56%
  

Regardless of your support, how do you feel about how Barack Obama would perform as president for the next four years - very anxious, somewhat anxious, not so anxious or not anxious at all?

• Very anxious 23%
• Somewhat anxious 30%
• Not so anxious 12%
• Not anxious at all 32%

Regardless of your support, how do you feel about how Mitt Romney would perform as president for the next four years - very anxious, somewhat anxious, not so anxious or not anxious at all?

• Very anxious 17%
• Somewhat anxious 44%
• Not so anxious 12%
• Not anxious at all 21%

Regardless of who you support, which candidate do you trust to do a better job handling the economy?

• Mitt Romney 50% [48%] (47%) {48%} (50%)
  
• Barack Obama 43% [45%] (47%) {44%} (44%)

Regardless of who you support, which candidate do you trust to do a better job dealing with the federal budget deficit?

• Mitt Romney 51%
• Barack Obama 38%

Regardless of who you support, which candidate do you trust to do a better job handling health care policy?

• Barack Obama 47%
• Mitt Romney 45%

Regardless of who you support, which candidate do you trust to do a better job dealing with social issues such as abortion and gay marriage?

• Barack Obama 52%
• Mitt Romney 38%

Regardless of who you support, which candidate do you trust to do a better job handling energy policy?

• Barack Obama 49%
• Mitt Romney 41%

Regardless of who you support, which candidate do you trust to do a better job supporting small business?

• Barack Obama 48%
• Mitt Romney 47%

Regardless of who you support, which candidate do you trust to do a better job handling international affairs?

• Barack Obama 46%
• Mitt Romney 41%

Regardless of who you support, which candidate do you trust to do a better job handling education?

• Barack Obama 45%
• Mitt Romney 42%

Regardless of who you support, which candidate do you trust to do a better job handling taxes?

• Mitt Romney 48%
• Barack Obama 43%

Regardless of who you support, which candidate do you trust to do a better job handling Medicare, the government health insurance program for seniors?

• Mitt Romney 45%
• Barack Obama 42%

Regardless of who you support, which candidate do you trust to do a better job addressing women's issues?

• Barack Obama 51%
• Mitt Romney 35%

Regardless of who you may support, who do you think better understands the economic problems people in this country are having?

• Barack Obama 47%
• Mitt Romney 40%

Regardless of who you may support, who do you think seems like the more friendly and likable person?

• Barack Obama 61%
• Mitt Romney 27%

Please tell me whether the following statement applies to Barack Obama, or not: He has strong personal character.

• Yes 70%
• No 27%

Please tell me whether the following statement applies to Mitt Romney, or not: He has strong personal character.

• Yes 64%
• No 31%

Do you think Barack Obama's views on most issues are too liberal for you, too conservative for you, or just about right?

• Too liberal 44%
• Too conservative 7%
• Just about right 43%
  

Do you think Mitt Romney's views on most issues are too liberal for you, too conservative for you, or just about right?

• Too liberal 14%
• Too conservative 35%
  
• Just about right 43%

Do you think Joe Biden's views on most issues are too liberal for you, too conservative for you, or just about right?

• Too liberal 36%
• Too conservative 8%
  
• Just about right 38%

Do you think Paul Ryan's views on most issues are too liberal for you, too conservative for you, or just about right?

• Too liberal 7%
• Too conservative 31%
  
• Just about right 38%

Who do you think is more responsible for the country's current economic problems - Barack Obama or George W. Bush?

• George W. Bush 52%
• Barack Obama 34%
• Both (Vol.) 8%
• Neither (Vol.) 5%

If Barack Obama is re-elected, how confident are you, if at all, that the country will get back on track economically in the next year or two?

• Very confident 14%
• Somewhat confident 28%
• Not so confident 18%
• Not confident at all 40%

If Mitt Romney is elected, how confident are you, if at all, that the country will get back on track economically in the next year or two?

• Very confident 11%
• Somewhat confident 35%
• Not so confident 21%
• Not confident at all 32%

Generally speaking, would you say you favor smaller government with fewer services, or larger government with more services?

• Smaller government with fewer services 59%
• Larger government with more services 35%

What about Obama - would you say Obama favors smaller government with fewer services, or larger government with more services?

• Smaller government with fewer services 16%
• Larger government with more services 73%

What about Romney - would you say Romney favors smaller government with fewer services, or larger government with more services?

• Smaller government with fewer services 69%
• Larger government with more services 18%

Do you think Obama does more to favor the middle class or more to favor the wealthy?

• Favor middle class 62%
• Favor wealthy 23%

Do you think Romney does more to favor the middle class or more to favor the wealthy?

• Favor middle class 32%
• Favor wealthy 58%

Do you approve or disapprove of Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate? Do you approve/disapprove strongly or somewhat?

• Strongly approve 30%
• Somewhat approve 24%
• Somewhat disapprove 8%
• Strongly disapprove 22%

Does Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan for vice president make you more likely to vote for Romney, less likely, or won't it make any difference in your vote?

• More likely 16%
• Less likely 15%
• No difference 67%

As chairman of the House Budget Committee, Ryan proposed a budget that would cut federal spending; cut taxes, including those paid by wealthy Americans and corporations; and restructure the Medicare and Medicaid insurance programs. Given what you know about this budget plan, would you say you support it strongly, support it somewhat, oppose it somewhat or oppose it strongly?

• Strongly support 22%
• Somewhat support 25%
• Somewhat oppose 16%
• Strongly oppose 29%

Under Ryan’s Medicare plan, starting in 10 years people no longer would receive specific Medicare benefits when they turn 65. Instead they would receive a credit for money that they could use to buy insurance, either from the private market or from the government. How do you feel about this proposal to restructure Medicare – would you say you support it strongly, support it somewhat, oppose it somewhat or oppose it strongly?

• Strongly support 12%
• Somewhat support 21%
• Somewhat oppose 20%
• Strongly oppose 42%

Romney has released his tax returns for the past two years. Do you think he should release his tax returns from previous years, or is two years enough? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?

• Strongly feel he should release tax returns from previous years 39%
• Somewhat feel he should release tax returns from previous years 8%
• Somewhat feel two years is enough 16%
• Strongly feel two years is enough 31%

For each item I name, please tell me if it will be a major factor in your vote, a minor factor, or not a factor.

Obama’s handling of the economy

• Major factor 72%
• Minor factor 17%
• Not a factor 10%

Romney’s position on releasing his tax returns

• Major factor 20%
• Minor factor 30%
• Not a factor 49%

Paul Ryan’s proposal to restructure Medicare

• Major factor 50%
• Minor factor 29%
• Not a factor 20%

Differences between the Democrats and the Republicans on women’s issues

• Major factor 50%
• Minor factor 25%
• Not a factor 23%

Just your best guess, who do you think will win the presidential election this year - Obama or Romney?

• Barack Obama 56%
• Mitt Romney 37%

Survey of 857 registered voters was conducted August 22-25, 2012.  The margin of error is +/- 4 percentage points.  Party ID: 32% Democrat; 25% Republican; 36% Independent; 6% Other.  Results from the poll conducted July 5-8, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted May 17-20, 2012 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted April 5-8, 2012 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted March 7-10, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted February 1-4, 2012 are in parentheses.   Results from the poll conducted January 12-15, 2012 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted December 15-18, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted October 31 - November 3, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted September 29 - October 2, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted August 29 - September 1, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted July 14-17, 2011 are in parentheses.  Results from the poll conducted June 2-5, 2011 are in curly brackets. Results from the poll conducted April 14-17, 2011 are in square brackets.