Florida and Connecticut Question Suggestions

Florida and Connecticut won our vote on where to poll this week.

Obviously we'll ask the standard Presidential stuff that we ask in every state as well as approval ratings for their Governors and Senators.

In Florida we'll test Bill Nelson against Adam Hasner, George LeMieux, Mike McCalister, and Craig Miller. Do we need to look at any other Republicans?

In Connecticut we'll do Susan Bysiewicz, Chris Murphy, and William Tong against Linda McMahon and Chris Shays. Anyone else we need to touch on there?

Beyond the Presidential and Senate races and approval staff, what else would you like to see us ask about in these states?

Comments

[Ben Neal]

I'd be interesting the Israel question for both states (Decent sized jewish pop's in both). Since CT a lot of financial industry workers maybe a class warfare question there.

Finally, I'd LOVE to see a Cuba (perhaps the embargo question) question for Florida, it's talked about a lot but how much does the state care either way on that issue.

Oh, and some type of Ponzi scheme/S.S. question for Florida.

[celestus]

CT: Approve/disapprove of Wall Street

Definitely ask about Red Sox vs. Yankees, Patriots vs. Jets!

"Do you, yourself, have money invested in the stock market?"

FL: Ponzi scheme obviously...

"Would you support increasing the payroll tax in order to help fund Social Security?"

"Would you support raising the retirement age in order to help fund Social Security?"

"Would you support reducing the benefits paid to wealthy Americans in order to help fund Social Security?"

"Do you think Marco Rubio would make a good Vice-President, or not?"

[Doug_Tuttle]

CT

Ask about their opinion of C-LP and how they handled the power outages. Also ask if Irene was overblown by the media or not.

Republican primary.

Instead of doing the head-to-heads between Romney and Perry, how about a three way poll between Romney, Perry and Paul. While I am not a Ron Paul supporter, I think it's obvious that A. he's not going to drop out of the race until all of the primaries are finished and B. his support tends to be a constant. Given that Paul's unlikely to drop out, or lose/gain significant amounts of support, it seems that including him in the head-to-head polls is a more accurate measure of what would happen if all other candidates dropped out.

[Matt D]

Ask generic ballot in both states. Florida had about 5 points to the Dems last time, but that was a while ago. Let's see if anything changed.

Do a Sink-Scott rematch again, along with trial runs with Nan Rich and other prominent Florida Democrats. I saw a poll showing Scott improving slightly in approval, and I want to see if it's enough.

Do a Malloy-Foley rematch in CT. Malloy has not been popular since he was elected, which is amazing, considering how he had a huge headwind against him. Who knows, we may get the first buyer's remorse for a Democrat this year.

Florida has also banned gay adoption. Ask what voters think about it now.

[Dean]

Check the Governor's approvals and 2010 election rematches. Does Rick Scott still own the "worst governor" label?

Perhaps ask about DADT repeal since that just happened and Lieberman was a driving force behind it?

Follow up and ask how voters feel about DOMA, which is the next front in marriage equality?

Perhaps a question like, "Now that gays and lesbians can serve openly in the US Military, do you think their partners (or spouses for CT) should be eligible to receive the same benefits that opposite-sex military spouses receive?" except better phrased?

The ponzi scheme question is a good one to see whether voters are buying into the Republican framing of Social Security.

[Bradley]

Definitely Israel, Cuba (for Florida) and Ponzi scheme questions. Maybe a redo of Florida's three-way Senate race (or else just a Crist-Rubio matchup), a Crist-Scott matchup for 2014, a redo of the Foley-Malloy race, etc. Would Rick Scott lose a re-do to Sink?

Finally, I think it would be interesting to test Huntsman against Obama. One state is blue, one is purple - obviously, Obama almost certainly won't lose Connecticut to Romney or Perry, but what if the Republicans nominated someone perceived as a moderate like Jon Huntsman? Would Huntsman be a blow-out in Florida? Yes, it's extremely unlikely that he will be the nominee, but it could serve as an interesting sort of counter-factual - what would things look like if the Republicans nominated someone in the Huntsman mold?

[Morgan Whitacre]

Same-sex marriage for Florida. Connecticut has it, but maybe ask them anyway to see how approval is holding.

[Jmartin4s]

For Florida, do favorability for Bob Graham and Lawton Chiles. For Connecticut, do favorability for Chris Dodd, Lowell Weicker, and John Rowland.

[realnrh]

In both states, approval rating for increasing taxes on income over $1,000,000 and for lifting the cap on Social Security taxable income. Tea Party approval ratings. Which would voters prefer, a candidate who compromises, or a candidate who refuses to compromise?

In Florida, whether residents consider themselves 'Southerners' or not (which should give some particularly interesting cross-tabs). Sports teams. Support or oppose Michelle Bachmann's call for oil drilling in the Everglades. Agree/disagree with Perry describing Social Security as a Ponzi scheme.

In Connecticut, approval rating on Governor Malloy's performance in the wake of Irene. Hypothetical re-elect numbers for Joe Lieberman.

[Alexander]

Florida Ideas
--Test Bill Nelson against Vern Buchanan
--Redo Rick Scott vs. Alex Sink
--Yes/No: Should Marco Rubio be the Republican Vice Presidential Candidate in 2012?
--Yes/No: Would you support a law allowing for the Recall of public officials after one year in office?
--Potential Rick Scott vs. Charlie Crist race and Rick Scott vs. Generic Democrat race
--Redo Rubio/Crist/Meek Race
--Republican Primary: Romney, Perry, Paul, Bachmann, Huntsman, Cain
--All Candidates against President Obama
--Rick Scott Approval Rating
--Marco Rubio Approval Rating

Connecticut Ideas
--Dan Malloy Approval Rating
--Richard Blumenthal Approval Rating
--Joe Leiberman Approval Rating
--Redo Malloy vs. Foley Race
--Democratic Senate Primary involving all three Democrats
--Republican Senate Primary with Shays and McMahon
--Republican Primary: Romney, Perry, Paul, Bachmann, Huntsman, Cain

[Sean]

Do Jennifer Carroll in FL and Rob Simmons in CT as well.

[Mike]

CT-Sen:
Murphy (D) vs Rell (R)
Bysiewicz vs Rell (R)

[Sam Dodsworth]

I'd love to see same-sex marriage questions (legal/illegal & marriage/civil union/neither) in Connecticut, where it's been legal for almost 3 years. I imagine it probably has one of the top 2 or 3 highest levels of support in the country, so it'd be interesting to see how high support actually is (haven't seen any polls on it in a while either). Updated numbers from Florida on that issue would be interesting as well.

Besides that, I think your question about Tea Party favorability would be very interesting to see from two very different states such as CT and FL.

Another question which might be relevant would be "To reduce the deficit, do you support increased taxes for those making $250,000 or more, cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, or both?"

[jpmassar]

Florida: Should the US Government make more of an effort, less of an effort, or make the same amount of effort as they are doing now toward normalizing relations with Cuba?

Connecticut: Should Connecticut enact a single-payer health care system which would eliminate health insurance companies and guarantee access to health care for all it's citizens?

[CT Dem]

Don't ask about retired Pols. Do ask about the CT 5th CD. Ask if the State should be paying companies to create jobs (www.decd.org)

[Reldo Tyler]

Which of the following best describes your
opinion on gay marriage: gay couples should
be allowed to legally marry, or gay couples
should be allowed to form civil unions but not
legally marry, or there should be no legal
recognition of a gay couple's relationship?

[Nick]

Any chance of doing a generic ballot for the Florida state legislature? I'm really curious how much my fellow Floridians are associating the GOP-dominated legislature with Rick Scott's policies. I'd also like to know if Republicans want to see Rick Scott face a primary challenge.

[Doug_tuttle]

In CT, oddly enough there's been talk of Rob Simmons running again. Try a three way race between him, Chris Shays and Linda McMahon, as well as Simmons and McMahon.

[Grim Ego]

I agree with Doug_Tuttle. A three way poll between Perry, Paul, and Romney would be extremely informative, since it's almost guaranteed that they will be the final three, barring a VERY late entry by someone like Palin.

As for Connecticut, include Peter Schiff in your GOP senate primary polls. I don't know if he's interested in campaigning again, but it would be interesting to see his support level.

[Alex]

I'm from Connecticut, and I'd love to see some numbers on how people think CL&P performed post-Irene. Would also like to see how people think Malloy handled the situation.

Other than that, the gay marriage question would be pretty interesting for both states, since CT started allowing it right around the time Florida had a ballot initiative on the matter (both in 2008).

[George]

Please include Sarah Palin among your Presidential contenders. One poll had her closing to within five..I dont believe the poll..however, if this is indeed the case, she will be ahead of Obama in at least Florida.

[ctblogger]

CT:

1. Malloy handling of Irene
2. Malloy approval/disapproval
3. Murphy, Tong, Susan approval/disapprovl; primary match-up
4. McMahon, Shays, Simmons approval/disapproval, primay match-up
5. Sen D vs R in general
6. Obama approval/disapproval

[pbrower2a]

Would you vote for any candidate who promises to "liberate" Cuba?

[Patrick]

Ask whether having Rubio as the vp nom. will make folks support the GOP ticket more or less.

[George]

Next weekend please go into West Virginia and poll the governor's race. Your polls are the most accurate compared to other polls right before the elections...and in this case the elections are on October 4.