Georgia, Maine, Ohio, Tennessee Question Suggestions

Here's PPP's plan over the next few days:

-We'll release numbers on the Washington caucus tonight, likely between 1 and 1:30 AM eastern.

-We'll release a first look at all the primary races in North Carolina tomorrow morning.

For this weekend we're going to poll the GOP race in 3 states: Georgia, Ohio, and Tennessee. Those polls will be in the field Saturday and Sunday and we'll release them on Sunday night.

We obviously have a pretty standard set of questions we've been asking on these GOP primary polls but if there's anything specific you'd like us to ask this weekend just send those ideas along.

In Maine the Senate field isn't sorted out and we can't test every scenario under the sun so let me pose this question: who are the 4 Democrats and 3 Republicans, who are plausible candidates, that you would most like to see us test? Testing 12 different match ups is still a lot but there's so much interest right now that we're ok with that.

In terms of testing the primary I think on the Democratic side we'll do a Baldacci/Michaud/Pingree question, and then for both the Democrats and Republicans we'll do a 'laundry list' style primary question looking at 9 different names on each side. That's obviously not how the field will unfold but it will give an early idea of who the party bases want  to run.

I'm just going to say preemptively that we're not going to be able to get into the House races in Maine. We'll do the Presidential race, gay marriage...what else would you like us to ask about in Maine? Thanks for the suggestions...

Comments

[L.M.]

I'd like to see more polls broken down by gender. I'm very interested to see how women are voting in light of all the birth control and abortion controversies in the news lately.

[K.]

In Maine, please also consider testing Tom Allen and Eliot Cutler.

[Jacoby]

in georgia ask if they felt any sense of an obligation to vote for newt just because he was from there.

[Steven Greenberg]

Does Mitt Romney's repeated embrace of Michigan as his home state before last week's primary affect your view of him here in the Buckeye state?

[Millhouwse]

Maine Dems. for US Senate: Chellie Pingree, Mike Michaud, John Baldacci, and Tom Allen (the latter two, if only to help dissuade either one of them from running)

Maine Repubs. for U.S. Senate: Peter Chianchette, Kevin Raye, Charlie Summers. Add in a Tea Party person like Andrew Ian Dodge just so nobody from that camp screams/moans.

Maine Independents for U.S. Senate: Angus King and Eliot Cutler

[Alan Brewer]

Can you get possible Independent candidates Eliot Cutler and Angus King in a three way for November - as in Pingree (Michaud) (Baldacci) v. Raye (Summers) (Poliquin) v. King (Cutler) ...

There is so much interest in a possible independent candidate and a three-way race that it is compelling question. Hard to get clean answers.

Three from GOP: Kevin Raye, Charlie Summers, Bruce Poliquin

Three from DEM: John Baldacci, Mike Michaud, Chellie Pingree and a 4th? Matt Dunlap

Two independents: Angus King, Eliot Cutler

[Aaronprill]

Im a Maine Republican and for R's who have expressed interest in Senate race I'd like you to poll former Ambassador Peter Cianchette, State Senator Kevin Raye and current Secretary of State Charlie Summers. Also possibly former Collins staffer/Gubernatorial candidate Steve Abbott.

But the Maine-02 Congressional race is more interesting to me with Dem incumbent Michaud apparently going for the Senate. For R's expressing interest in this race, please poll State Senator Deb Plowman, Bangor Mayor Cary Weston, as well as Steve Abbott for this race, too.

[William_Bridges]

I'd love to see Ohio numbers for just Romney v. Santorum and just Romney v. Gingrich, i.e. what the race would look life if either Santorum or Gingrich drops out. Ohio would be a nice bell weather for other states down the road.

[Aaronprill]

To be fair to the "tea party crowd" you should include Republican Scott D'Amboise who has been running against Snowe for well over a year. Andrew Ian Dodge (mentioned by Millhowse above) is NO LONGER a Republican, and he is a way less viable candidate than D'Ambroise.

[John]

Maine same sex ballot language:
Do you favor a law allowing marriage licenses for same-sex couples that protects religious freedom by ensuring no religion or clergy be required to perform such a marriage in violation of their religious beliefs?”

[Gerald Weinand]

Maine Sen:

Dems: Mike Michaud, Chellie Pingree, Matt Dunlap
GOP: Scott D'Amboise, Kevin Raye
Independent: Eliot Cutler

These are the potential candidates that have a reasonable chance of actually making it on the ballot. D'Amboise says he already has the 2,000 required signatures.

[Smoke and Daggers]

It would be a HUGE mistake to ignore Independents in your Maine poll.

I'd poll the following:
Dems: Baldacci, Michaud, Pingree
Reps: D'Amboise (since he's on the ballot already and is a given), Raye, Steve Abbott & either Peter Cianchette or Les Otten
Independents: Cutler and King

[AJ Britt]

Maine Sen:

Dems: Mike Michaud, Chellie Pingree,John Baldacci

GOP: Kevin Raye, Charlie Summers, John McKernan (Fmr.Gov and Olympia Snowe's husband)

Independents: Angus King, Eliot Cutler

[Mark B.]

I think it would make sense to also test a Democratic primary sans Baldacci.

In any case, thanks for polling so much. You're the best PPP!

[Andrew Dodge]

Actually I am no longer in the Republican Primary. So I should be included with any independents (note the deadline for independent signatures is 1 June not 15 March).

Independents: Angus King, Eliot Cutler, Andrew Ian Dodge

[Stix1972]

Maine Sen:
You should also include Andrew Ian Dodge as an Indpendent on the poll.

[celestus]

Name recognition/favorables for the Koch brothers.

Do you think a longer Presidential primary will help or hurt the eventual Republican nominee?

[KBM]

In Maine: Independent Andrew Ian Dodge.

[Lizzy Reinholt]

Dems: Michaud, Pingree, Baldacci
GOP: Kevin Raye, Charlie Summers, Peter Cianchette
INDY: Angus King

[JDinBalt]

I hope you all might poll Maryland soon, specifically about same sex marriage. Since anti-SSM forces are trying to put a referendum on the November ballot to repeal the law that Martin O'Malley is signing into law today, I'm curious to see just how likely a repeal would succeed or not.

[John Michaels]

Make sure to include Andrew Ian Dodge in the Maine Senate polling. Maine has a track record of electing independents, and Dodge is sure to be a factor there with his local roots and local activism.

[Barret Larson]

I think for a fair representation, given that the current seat holder has now retired, the situation is so fluid and the GOP is scrambling, to get an accurate lay of the land all declared runners should be given a chance.

Dems: Mike Michaud, Chellie Pingree, Matt Dunlap
GOP: Scott D'Amboise, Kevin Raye
Independent: Eliot Cutler, and Andrew Ian Dodge.

Nobody should be left off.

[NRH]

In Maine, add in the legislative control preferences and opinions on LePage.

[George]

It will be fantastic if on the weekend of March 10 you poll the Brown-Warren race in MA.

[Amy]

The only thing to add about Maine is that it's being reported that Ciancette has taken his name out of contention, so he shouldn't be included in the poll. http://www.themainewire.com/2012/03/breaking-cianchette-senate-race/

[steve]

R: Raye, Abbott, Poliquin, Cianchette

D: Pingree, Baldacci, Michaud, Dunlap

I: King

[Ben]

In Tennessee, ask a question about if they approve of the state legislature's performance and specifically their reforms to the education system.

[Mark]

For ME Dems, I hope you'll poll opinions on the Blunt amendment.

Michaud is one of 8 cosponsors of the House version, a position that would seem disastrous in the primary.

[Jess3532]

You need to start polling the birther issue again thanks you Arpaio

[Scott]

In Maine, please also consider testing Tom Allen and Angus King.

[Doug Tuttle]

include stephen King as a dem (primary and general election) and an indy, but have a version with and without king.

[A Ubelis]

I hope you include Andrew Ian Dodge in the Maine Senate Polls. He has consistently been in the race from the start!

[Steve]

Thanks for being allowed to weigh in on 3 exciting states!

- Maine is pretty self-explanatory with the same-sex marriage and presidential contest but with Snowe's departure from the race. I would recommend testing the GOP governor as a possible candidate.

- For Georgia, considering it's Newt Gingrich's home state, would it be possible to ask a couple of deeper questions about him? In other words, are they supporting him merely because they feel they have to support a native son or because they really like him? Please also test the legal/illegal question on same-sex marriage in Georgia.

- For Ohio, it was in the news today that there's an attempt to overturn the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage there through a ballot initiative. Could you ask a question as to how much support such a measure would garner? Also in the aftermath of the caustic redistricting cycle, what do voters think of it and what about a congressional generic in this critical state?

- Last but certainly not least is Tennessee. I think the GOP Super Tuesday numbers are really NB but there seems to have been a massive move in this state to the GOP side in recent years (ever since Gore lost the state in 2000). How do Tennesseans like their government now that the GOP has the trifecta of power there. Finally, please ask the question about same-sex marriage being legal/illegal. This state was one of the very few in the nation to ratify an anti-gay marriage amendment with more than 80% of the vote and would be very interesting to see where they stand on the issue now.

[Mark]

With Michaud having just bowed out, it would probably make sense to include former sec'y of state Matthew Dunlap, the one Dem in the race before Snowe retired who it looks like will remain in the Senate race.

Dunlap would make much more sense than Tom Allen, who has made no moves toward launching a campaign.

[James]

Poll question: Which candidate is the most handsome out of the GOP presidential field?

PPP: Can you please poll Alaska, Virginia and North Dakota since no other polling firm is doing so? We obviously know that Idaho, Massachussetts and Vermont will almost certainly go to Romney.

[88]

Would love to see gay marriage (legal/illegal and marriage/civil union/none) in Tennessee, which is a state I've never seen numbers on the issue.

Thanks!

[Amy]

Now Michaud has said he will not run for Democratic Senate nomination, so don't include him in the Maine poll.

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/03/01/politics/mike-michaud-out-of-senate-race/

[Jess3532]

How about polling the percentage of Republicans that think Obama is a dictator?

[Gerald]

Maine:

- In addition to a gay marriage question using the precise language of the initiative (as reproduced in a comment above), ask the respondent whether he/she voted on this issue in 2009 and whether his/her mind has changed since then.

- Gov. LePage approve/disapprove

- State legislature approve/disapprove

- State legislature generic ballot preference

[Amy]

In Maine, Michaud and Raye have now announced they won't be running for US Senate, but will be running against each other for Congress.

[Amy]

And now Republican Steve Abbott has said he won't be a candidate for the Maine Senate seat.

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/g7eicj

[Justin]

When you ask about same-sex marriage in Maine, be sure to again use the language that's going to be on the ballot in November.

[CM]

Independent former governor Angus King has formally announced in Maine, making it essential to include him in any poll.