Posted on 10/31/2002 1:12:44 PM PST by TLBSHOW
Released: October 31, 2002 Congressional Generic: Democrat 51% - GOP 49%; Most Influential Voter Issue: The Economy; Bush Job Performance Still Strong at 64%; Democrats Now Best Suited to Handle Economy, Latest Zogby America Poll Reveals
The race for control of Congress is neck and neck and too close to call, latest Zogby America Poll results show.
In the final Zogby America Poll before the November 5th elections, 51% of likely voters nationwide say they will vote Democratic in the upcoming Congressional elections, and 49% say they will vote for a Republican candidate. The poll, conducted of 1,006 likely voters nationwide between Oct. 26-29 has a margin of sampling error of +/- 3.2%.
President George W. Bush continues to receive a strong job performance endorsement from likely voters, with a 64% positive, 35% negative job performance rating. In September, Bush received a 63% positive, 36% negative job performance rating, compared to the 64% positive, 36% negative rating he received in August.
Results also show that 49% say Bush deserves re-election, compared to 35% who say it is time for someone new.
Other Zogby America Poll results show that economy/jobs is again the clear number one issue that will be most influential in the way voters vote November 5th. Economy/jobs is the most influential issue by 20% of likely voters, followed by education at 12%, taxes at 10%, terrorism/safety and healthcare (both at 7%), and Social Security and the war, both at 5%. In September, economy/jobs was the number one issue most influential for 22% of those polled, followed by terrorism/safety (10%), taxes (10%) and the war (10%).
Latest Zogby America Poll results also show that Democrats are now judged the party best suited to handle the economy (43% - 41%). In June, Republicans were judged best suited to handle the economy (44%-38%).
Pollster John Zogby: "Barring a late calamity or anything else unforeseen, neither party goes into this election with the upper hand. The economy is the issue, as we have been saying for months, but the Democrats do not seem to be poised to take advantage. The last few Congressional elections have been virtually tied. Add another tie."
I saw a similar poll the other day. The economy was the #1 concern, but #2, #3, and #4 were something like the war on terror, Iraq, and homeland security. The latter three added together swamped the economy. Any reasonable person would see a high positive correlation among the latter three and treat them as a single issue. Anyone who would vote 'Rat right now better be prepared to buy a prayer rug and get a compass out to determine the direction to Mecca, 'cause that's what our future holds in store for us if this country swings 'Ratward.
Enjoy your tax-spend-police state Pubbie sweep on Tuesday. Bring a roll of paper towels, so you can clean up after yourselves.
But really, what's even better than seeing Zog taken down a notch is that we'll never again have to hear from that subset of Freepers who lived and died by his numbers as if they were handouts from God.
Released: November 07, 2002
Wow!
It’s been 36 hours after the results first began to trickle in, and that’s still my reaction to the plethora of surprises which defined the 2002 Midterm Elections.
As a fan of politics nothing could be more exciting than seeing the unexpected occur again and again.
But as a political pollster, whose reputation is impacted seemingly by every race polled and every percentage point reflected, Election Night was cause for much more grimacing than we at Zogby International have been used to over the last several years.
zogby
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