Behind the Numbers - Public opinion in this country is everything.

Posted at 02:00 PM ET, 11/30/2011

Foreign policy poll watcher: Is Gingrich trusted with the ‘3 a.m. phone call?’

By Scott Clement

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has become a frontrunner in the race for the Republican presidential nomination by consolidating support among key GOP groups, and while some have dismissed him as another GOP “flavor of the month,” his longtime Washington ties may give him an edge over other contenders.

By Scott Clement | 02:00 PM ET, 11/30/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination, Federal Budget Deficit, International polls

Posted at 07:10 AM ET, 11/30/2011

Gingrich and Romney equally well liked among conservatives

By Peyton M. Craighill and Jon Cohen

On the basic question of personal popularity, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and former House speaker Newt Gingrich get roughly equally positive ratings from conservatives, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

By Peyton M. Craighill and Jon Cohen | 07:10 AM ET, 11/30/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 11/30/2011

Favorability: Ron Paul lags in the competition

By Peyton M. Craighill

He’s bumped up firmly into double digits in recent Iowa polls, but in his second run for the Republican nomination, Texas Rep. Ron Paul hasn’t generated much enthusiasm nationally, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

By Peyton M. Craighill | 07:00 AM ET, 11/30/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination

Posted at 02:56 PM ET, 11/29/2011

Poll watcher: Who is Newt Gingrich’s base? Tea party districts sour on tea party and doggy health care

By Scott Clement

In surging to the top in the race for the Republican nomination, recent polls find Newt Gingrich has built a coalition of three high-turnout groups: older Republicans, tea party supporters and conservatives.

By Scott Clement | 02:56 PM ET, 11/29/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination, Republican Party, Barack Obama

Posted at 01:17 PM ET, 11/28/2011

Poll watcher: Romney strong in N.H. before Gingrich endorsement

By Scott Clement

Mitt Romney held a commanding lead in a poll by WMUR and the University of New Hampshire, prior to the New Hampshire Union Leader’s endorsement of Newt Gingrich.

By Scott Clement | 01:17 PM ET, 11/28/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination

Posted at 02:00 PM ET, 11/23/2011

Foreign Policy poll watcher: GOP candidates and voters on foreign policy; are Americans war weary?

By Scott Clement

Did GOP candidates match foreign policy views of Republicans across the country? Polls show voters are not focused on international issues in 2012.

By Scott Clement | 02:00 PM ET, 11/23/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Behind the Numbers | Tags: pollhero

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 11/23/2011

Rally around Thanksgiving

By Jon Cohen

Almost all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, have favorable views of Thanksgiving dinner, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

By Jon Cohen | 07:00 AM ET, 11/23/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination, Congress, Federal Budget Deficit

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 11/23/2011

Americans unfriend Congress

By Jon Cohen

Beyond its dismal approval ratings, Congress now has its lowest favorable rating in more than 25 years, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

By Jon Cohen | 07:00 AM ET, 11/23/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination, Congress, Federal Budget Deficit

Posted at 03:33 PM ET, 11/22/2011

Poll watcher: Gingrich leads in GOP race, Americans predicted supercommittee failure

By Scott Clement

Three new national polls show former House Speaker Newt Gingrich either tied or holding a slight lead over Mitt Romney, and when pitted against each other, Gingrich holds a 10 percentage point edge.

By Scott Clement | 03:33 PM ET, 11/22/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination, Congress, Federal Budget Deficit

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 11/22/2011

Déjà vu for New Hampshire polling?

By Scott Clement

New Hampshire has long earned a reputation as the Bermuda Triangle for pollsters. Within a window of days two polls conclude both that “Mitt Romney holds a commanding lead” and “Romney and Gingrich in a statistical tie.” Why the difference?

By Scott Clement | 07:00 AM ET, 11/22/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination, methodology

Posted at 02:49 PM ET, 11/18/2011

Poll watcher: Is Gingrich competitive with Obama? Most want compromise on supercommittee

By Scott Clement

Newt Gingrich’s rise in the GOP nomination race begs a key question: How would he fare against the president?

By Scott Clement | 02:49 PM ET, 11/18/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: 2012 polls, GOP nomination, Federal Budget Deficit, Congress

Posted at 12:11 PM ET, 11/17/2011

Poll watcher: Gingrich rides tea party surge; Obama trails Romney in N. H.

By Scott Clement

Gingrich’s support peaks at 35 percent among tea party supporters in a Fox News poll, twice as many who supported him in October (17 percent).

By Scott Clement | 12:11 PM ET, 11/17/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination, 2012 polls

Posted at 05:07 PM ET, 11/16/2011

Poll watcher: Is Paul the strongest candidate in Iowa?

By Scott Clement

A new Bloomberg News survey shows Ron Paul with comparatively few flaws in the eyes of likely Iowa Caucus participants.

By Scott Clement | 05:07 PM ET, 11/16/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination, Health care, Federal Budget Deficit

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 11/15/2011

Perry slides again, as GOP turns away

By Jon Cohen

Rick Perry’s slide continues in new Washington Post-ABC News polling, with nearly as many Republicans now holding unfavorable views of the Texas governor as expressing positive ones.

By Jon Cohen | 07:00 AM ET, 11/15/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:01 AM ET, 11/15/2011

More Republicans say Cain allegations are “serious matter”

By Jon Cohen

Most Republicans now see the allegations of sexual harassment against Cain as a serious matter according to a new Post-ABC poll, a switch from a poll taken just after the charges were first reported.

By Jon Cohen | 12:01 AM ET, 11/15/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination

Posted at 06:30 PM ET, 11/14/2011

Republicans sour on Herman Cain

By Jon Cohen

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows sharply higher negatives for Cain, with Republicans also souring on the surprise front-runner.

By Jon Cohen | 06:30 PM ET, 11/14/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination

Posted at 01:24 PM ET, 11/14/2011

Poll watcher: How popular is health care mandate? Gingrich up, Cain down and the supercommittee

By Scott Clement

A CNN poll released Monday finds a 52 percent majority of Americans support the law’s provision that “all Americans who do not have health insurance get it,” up from 44 percent in June. But polls show much lower support when surveys explicitly mention a “fine” for those who remain uninsured.

By Scott Clement | 01:24 PM ET, 11/14/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Health care, GOP nomination, Federal Budget Deficit

Posted at 05:06 PM ET, 11/09/2011

Sign up for The Post’s polling e-mail list

By Scott Clement

Get all the latest polling data and analysis from The Washington Post’s political polling team.

By Scott Clement | 05:06 PM ET, 11/09/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Post Polls

Posted at 04:19 PM ET, 11/08/2011

Poll watcher: Americans react to Cain controversy

By Scott Clement

New polls offer a fresh look on the nation’s - and Republicans’ - reactions to the Herman Cain sexual harassment scandal.

By Scott Clement | 04:19 PM ET, 11/08/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination

Posted at 10:23 AM ET, 11/07/2011

Poll watcher: Millennials dispirited; Obama in swing states and 2012 religious divide

By Scott Clement

The millennial generation - adults currently under age 30 - supported Barack Obama at record levels in 2008, but a comprehensive new report provides the clearest picture yet that young Americans are dispirited about politics and next year’s presidential election.

By Scott Clement | 10:23 AM ET, 11/07/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Barack Obama, GOP nomination

Posted at 10:00 AM ET, 11/06/2011

Public opinion is settled as Iraq war concludes

By Peyton M. Craighill

President Obama’s directive to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq by December is a rare example of a broadly popular policy decision.

By Peyton M. Craighill | 10:00 AM ET, 11/06/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Iraq

Posted at 10:30 AM ET, 11/04/2011

Poll: What happens if Herman Cain drops out?

By Peyton M. Craighill

Where would Cain’s supporters go were he to bow out?

By Peyton M. Craighill | 10:30 AM ET, 11/04/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination

Posted at 07:49 AM ET, 11/04/2011

Poll: Majority of GOP say Cain allegations are not serious

By Peyton M. Craighill

Sexual harassment claims from the 1990s against Herman Cain have not slowed down his support among Republicans and GOP-leaning independents.

By Peyton M. Craighill | 07:49 AM ET, 11/04/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 03:41 PM ET, 11/02/2011

Poll Watcher: Obama ratings rise may signal partisan shift; Iraq withdrawal and cell phone apps

By Scott Clement

Quinnipiac University released a new poll Wednesday showing President Obama’s job approval up six points to 47 percent since early October.

By Scott Clement | 03:41 PM ET, 11/02/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Barack Obama, Presidential Approval, Iraq

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 11/02/2011

Sub-par ratings for both major political parties, with most open to independent challenger in 2012

By Jon Cohen and Scott Clement

Fewer than half of all Americans express favorable opinions of the country’s two major political parties, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

By Jon Cohen and Scott Clement | 07:00 AM ET, 11/02/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 01:34 PM ET, 11/01/2011

Poll watcher: Sexual harassment and discrimination; Americans miss crime drop and Catholic public opinion

By Scott Clement

Fewer than three in 10 Republicans in a 2009 Pew poll said women face a lot of discrimination (28 percent), while 45 percent of Democrats see such a bias.

By Scott Clement | 01:34 PM ET, 11/01/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination

Posted at 06:05 PM ET, 10/31/2011

Poll watcher: Iowa GOP race; do millionaires want a tax hike?

By Scott Clement

Herman Cain and Mitt Romney are close in Iowa, but Cain holds a 17-point edge among voters who “definitely” plan to vote in the January caucuses.

By Scott Clement | 06:05 PM ET, 10/31/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Barack Obama, GOP nomination, Presidential Approval

Behind the Numbers: November, 2011