Public Policy Polling 3020 Highwoods Blvd. Raleigh, NC 27604 Phone: 888 621-6988 Web: www.publicpolicypolling.com Email: [email protected]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 11, 2009 INTERVIEWS: DEAN DEBNAM 888-621-6988 / 919-880-4888 (serious media inquiries only please, other questions can be directed to Tom Jensen) QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POLL: TOM JENSEN 919-744-6312 Wilson in dead heat with Miller after comments Raleigh, N.C. – Republican Congressman Joe Wilson trails challenger Rob Miller 44-43 in the wake of his shouting out ‘you lie’ during President Obama’s speech to Congress on Wednesday night. Wilson defeated Miller 54-46 in the 2008 election. 62% of voters in his district say they disapprove of Wilson’s actions while just 29% think they were ok. While there is consensus on that, respondents were pretty divided about whether the substance of his comment- that Obama was lying- is correct. 42% say they think the President was lying while 46% believe he was not. Wilson’s approval rating comes in at 41%, with 47% of voters disapproving of his job performance. He gets good marks from 68% of Republicans, 38% of independents, and 11% of Democrats. “In a matter of seconds Joe Wilson turned himself from a safe incumbent into one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the country for 2010,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. Overall 49% of voters say that Wednesday’s incident made them less likely to vote for Wilson in the future while 35% said it made them more likely to do so. Obama’s approval rating is 50% in the district, pretty good given his nine point loss there last fall. Mark Sanford’s is 31% and 51% of voters think he should resign. Voters give mixed responses to a variety of questions about their opinions on health care. PPP surveyed 747 South Carolina 2 nd Congressional District voters on September 10 th and 11 th . The survey’s margin of error is +/-3.6%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify. Complete results are attached and can be found at www.publicpolicypolling.com. If you would like an interview regarding this release, please contact Dean Debnam at (888) 621-6988 or 919-880-4888. ###
Transcript
Public Policy Polling 3020 Highwoods Blvd. Raleigh, NC 27604
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 11, 2009 INTERVIEWS: DEAN DEBNAM 888-621-6988 / 919-880-4888 (serious media inquiries only please, other questions can be directed to Tom Jensen) QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POLL: TOM JENSEN 919-744-6312
Wilson in dead heat with Miller after comments Raleigh, N.C. – Republican Congressman Joe Wilson trails challenger Rob Miller 44-43 in the wake of his shouting out ‘you lie’ during President Obama’s speech to Congress on Wednesday night. Wilson defeated Miller 54-46 in the 2008 election. 62% of voters in his district say they disapprove of Wilson’s actions while just 29% think they were ok. While there is consensus on that, respondents were pretty divided about whether the substance of his comment- that Obama was lying- is correct. 42% say they think the President was lying while 46% believe he was not. Wilson’s approval rating comes in at 41%, with 47% of voters disapproving of his job performance. He gets good marks from 68% of Republicans, 38% of independents, and 11% of Democrats. “In a matter of seconds Joe Wilson turned himself from a safe incumbent into one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the country for 2010,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. Overall 49% of voters say that Wednesday’s incident made them less likely to vote for Wilson in the future while 35% said it made them more likely to do so. Obama’s approval rating is 50% in the district, pretty good given his nine point loss there last fall. Mark Sanford’s is 31% and 51% of voters think he should resign. Voters give mixed responses to a variety of questions about their opinions on health care. PPP surveyed 747 South Carolina 2nd Congressional District voters on September 10th and 11th. The survey’s margin of error is +/-3.6%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify. Complete results are attached and can be found at www.publicpolicypolling.com. If you would like an interview regarding this release, please contact Dean Debnam at (888) 621-6988 or 919-880-4888. ###
Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of PresidentBarack Obama’s job performance? If youapprove, press 1. If you disapprove, press 2.If you’re not sure, press 3.
50%Approve ..................
46%Disapprove..............
4%Not Sure..................
Q2 Do you support or oppose President Obama’shealth care plan, or do you not have anopinion? If you support it, press 1. If youoppose it, press 2. If you don’t have an opinion,press 3.
Q4 Do you support the federal governmentcreating a health insurance plan that wouldallow people who can't afford health insuranceelsewhere to purchase it? If yes, press 1. Ifno, press 2. If you’re not sure, press 3.
Q5 Do you approve or disapprove ofCongressman Joe Wilson’s job performance?If you approve, press 1. If you disapprove,press 2. If you’re not sure, press 3.
Q6 If the candidates for Congress next year wereDemocrat Rob Miller and Republican JoeWilson, who would you vote for? If Rob Miller,press 1. If Joe Wilson, press 2. If you’reundecided, press 3.
Q7 Do you approve or disapprove of Joe Wilson’sactions at Barack Obama’s speech toCongress on Wednesday night? If youapprove, press 1. If you disapprove, press 2.If you’re not sure, press 3.
Q8 Does Joe Wilson calling the president a liarmake you more or less likely to vote to re-electhim? If more likely, press 1. If less likely,press 2. If it makes no difference, press 3.
Q9 Do you think that Barack Obama was lyingwhen he said his health care plan would notcover illegal immigrants? If yes, press 1. If no,press 2. If you’re not sure, press 3.
Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of PresidentBarack Obama’s job performance? If youapprove, press 1. If you disapprove, press 2.If you’re not sure, press 3.
50%Approve ..................
46%Disapprove..............
4%Not Sure..................
Q2 Do you support or oppose President Obama’shealth care plan, or do you not have anopinion? If you support it, press 1. If youoppose it, press 2. If you don’t have an opinion,press 3.
Q4 Do you support the federal governmentcreating a health insurance plan that wouldallow people who can't afford health insuranceelsewhere to purchase it? If yes, press 1. Ifno, press 2. If you’re not sure, press 3.
Q5 Do you approve or disapprove ofCongressman Joe Wilson’s job performance?If you approve, press 1. If you disapprove,press 2. If you’re not sure, press 3.
Q6 If the candidates for Congress next year wereDemocrat Rob Miller and Republican JoeWilson, who would you vote for? If Rob Miller,press 1. If Joe Wilson, press 2. If you’reundecided, press 3.
Q7 Do you approve or disapprove of Joe Wilson’sactions at Barack Obama’s speech toCongress on Wednesday night? If youapprove, press 1. If you disapprove, press 2.If you’re not sure, press 3.
Q8 Does Joe Wilson calling the president a liarmake you more or less likely to vote to re-electhim? If more likely, press 1. If less likely,press 2. If it makes no difference, press 3.
Q9 Do you think that Barack Obama was lyingwhen he said his health care plan would notcover illegal immigrants? If yes, press 1. If no,press 2. If you’re not sure, press 3.
Q10 Do you approve or disapprove of GovernorMark Sanford’s job performance? If youapprove, press 1. If you disapprove, press 2.If you’re not sure, press 3.
Q12 Do you think that Barack Obama’s speech tothe schoolchildren of America earlier this weekwas appropriate? If yes, press 1. If no, press2. If you’re not sure, press 3.
Q10 Do you approve or disapprove of GovernorMark Sanford’s job performance? If youapprove, press 1. If you disapprove, press 2.If you’re not sure, press 3.
Q12 Do you think that Barack Obama’s speech tothe schoolchildren of America earlier this weekwas appropriate? If yes, press 1. If no, press2. If you’re not sure, press 3.
