-People in Missouri might be happy with the news last night that the Big 12 may actually survive the latest round of conference ping pong. A plurality of voters in the state- 35%- would like the Tigers to remain in their current conference. And if they do move people would like to see them go to the Big Ten- 21% support that option with 4% favoring the ACC, 2% the SEC, and 1% each the Big East and Pac 12. Even with an SEC invite that most schools would covet on the table, it looks like Missourians would like their school to stay where they are or hold out for an opportunity to join the Big Ten.
-Roy Blunt is proving to be a pretty unpopular Senator. Only 33% of voters approve of the job he's doing to 42% who disapprove. Independents split against him 28/44 and only 54% of Republicans are happy with him compared to 63% of Democrats who give him poor marks. The fact that Blunt won such an overwhelming victory last year even though he's so unpopular is really symbolic of how brutal the climate was for Democrats in 2o1o- the GOP could have put up most anyone and won the Senate race in Missouri last year. Blunt's someone who could be really vulnerable if he was running in a year that was good for Democrats or even pretty neutral. But his timing was perfect last year.
-59% of voters in Missouri think that gay marriage should be illegal, compared to just 32% who would like to see it become legal. But when you throw civil unions into the equation 62% of voters support some form of legal recognition for gay couples to only 37% opposed to giving same sex couples any sorts of rights. The 62% breaks down 28% for whom full gay marriage rights is their first choice and 34% who prefer civil unions. This is what we're seeing in most states- voters are uncomfortable giving the label 'marriage' to gay relationships...but they're ok with granting those couples more rights as long as it's called something else.
-The Tea Party label has become more and more toxic over the course of 2011 and Missouri's another swing state where we find that to be the case. Only 40% of voters say they have a favorable opinion of the movement to 46% with a negative one. Independents split against it 36/52. This is going to be an interesting tension the Republican Senate candidates have to deal with- identifying as Tea Party could help them in the primary (GOP voters still see it favorably by a 73/9 margin) but hurt them in the general. Is the short term benefit worth the long term risk?
-There's no doubt who Missouri's favorite MLB team is- it's the Cardinals. 50% of voters pick St. Louis to only 21% for the Royals, followed by the Cubs at 6%, Red Sox and Yankees at 3%, Braves at 2%, and White Sox and Twins at 1%. St. Louis wins out for Missouri's favorite NFL team too but it's a lot closer- 30% for the Rams to 26% for the Chiefs, with the Packers at 8%, Bears and Cowboys at 6%, Titans at 4%, Colts at 3%, and Vikings at 2% rounding out the teams we tested.
Full results here
Maybe next time you poll Missouri, you can ask about a Blunt-Carnahan rematch.
Posted by: Matt D | September 21, 2011 at 04:33 PM