Rhode Island and Texas Question Suggestions

Rhode Island and Texas won our vote on where to poll this week.

In both states our primary focus will be next year's Gubernatorial races, so let us know what candidates you'd like to see us test. Hard to image either state's Senate race being particularly competitive but if you have names for those let us know about that as well.

And of course if you have any question suggestions beyond those races for Governor and the Senate in these states we'd love to hear them.

Thanks as always for the good ideas!

Comments

[Mark]

Obviously same-sex marriage for RI, given the bill before the legislature.

[Matt]

Rhode Island:
Gay marriage, support/oppose
Gay marriage, legislature or ballot

Governor: Would you like to see Chafee run as an Independent or Dem?

Dem Primary (w or w/o Chafee): Raimondo, Taveras

Lt. Gov: Scott Avedesian (GOP, Warwick), Dan McKee (Dem, Cumberland)

[MarcoAntonio Orrantia]

I'd say a multitude of statewide primary and general combinations for the Gov and LTGov. And maybe somehow do something that would serve as a backtrack exit poll since the newspapers decided not to do exit polling this year in Texas.

[Samian Quazi]

I'm from Texas, so this is a really rare opportunity for me! (I'm so excited!)

First and foremost, I'd love to see the favorables/unfavorables on Sen. John Cornyn. Is Cornyn vulnerable in 2014?

Specifically, I'd like to see Cornyn in a hypothetical match-up against the two most popular Texas Democrats: State Sen. Wendy Davis and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro.

Davis is the Harvard Law-educated single mom that's been profiled in The New York Times and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show. She won re-election in a very conservative Fort Worth district against a well-funded Tea Party Republican and is strong among centrist and female voters.

Castro is obviously nationally known for giving the keynote speech at the DNC last year, and is frequently touted as a rising star in the Democratic Party.

Both have expressed interest recently in running for statewide office. Unlike Perry, however, I believe Cornyn may have McConnell-like vulnerabilities and thus may be the weaker incumbent against a Democrat.

As for the Governor's race, it's increasingly likely that socially conservative Attorney General Greg Abbott (the Texan Rick Santorum) will launch a primary bid against Gov. Rick Perry. So if you could ask of just Republican voters whether they'd prefer Abbott or Perry for Governor, I think that'd be great.

At this point, it seems that in Governor's races the GOP primary winner is tantamount to victory in the general election. I can't think of any plausible Democrats to go against Perry.

I don't know much about Rhode Island, but I suppose that gauging the popularity of same-sex marriage there would be useful to state representatives and senators in deciding how to vote on the issue.

[Thomas]

Chafee as indy, Chafee as Dem, Chafee versus Jack Reed or in an open seat race if Reed retired.

State Sen. Wendy Davis for Governor/Senate in Texas.

[Rhody]

Ideally...

Same Sex Marriage: Support/Oppose

Governor:

Dem Primary(1): Taveras, Raimondo
Dem Primary (2): Taveras, Raimondo Chafee

GOP Primary: Fung, Doherty, Avedisian

General (1): Chafee, Taveras, Fung
General (2): Chafee, Raimondo, Fung
General (3): Taveras, Fung
General (4): Raimondo, Fung

[Matt]

Some question on global warming (Is it happening? Is it something to be concerned about?)

[Carl]

Don't bother with the US Senate in RI.

Job performance:

Governor Chafee
Treasurer Gina Raimondo

Governor's race:

Name ID, fav/ unfav Raimondo, Chafee, Fung, Doherty

If you are polling D primary voters:

Raimondo v. Taveras

If you are polling R primary voters:

Doherty v. Fung

If you are polling general election voters, please poll these as head-to-head 4-ways:

Raimondo, Chafee, Block, Fung
Raimondo, Chafee, Block, Doherty
Taveras, Chafee, Block, Doherty
Taveras, Chafee Block, Fung

How important is it to you that Rhode Island elects its first woman governor?
How important is it to you that Rhode Island elects its first minority governor?

[Bradley]

Dem-Sen candidates: General Treasurer Gina Raimondo, Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts

Dem-Gov candidates: General Treasurer Gina Raimondo, Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts, Governor Lincoln Chafee

Support for pension reform law

Whether state should renegotiate pension reform law w/ unions.

Support for same-sex marriage

[Joe]

I think the Texas Senate race could be somewhat closer than expected if the Democrats nominated a Hispanic. Henry Cuellar and Pete Gallego are getting a lot of attention, although it doesn't appear either is too interested and Dems will likely target Perry as an easier person to defeat.

[Rhody]

Same Sex Marriage: Support/Oppose

Governor:
Dem Primary (1): Raimondo, Taveras, Almonte
Dem Primary (2): Chafee, Raimondo, Taveras, Almonte
GOP Primary: Avedisian, Doherty, Fung
General (1): Chafee, Raimondo, Fung
General (2): Chafee, Taveras, Fung
General (3): Raimondo, Fung
General (4): Taveras, Fung
General (5): Chafee, Fung

Favorable/Unfavorable:
Lincoln Chafee
Angel Taveras
Gina Raimondo
Allan Fung
Brendan Doherty
Buddy Cianci
Curt Schilling (Founder of 38 Studios & Fmr. Red Sox Pitcher)
Bill Belichick
God

2016 Dem. Presidnetial Primary:
Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Andrew Cuomo, Martin O'Malley

2016 GOP Presidential Primary:
Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan, Rand Paul

[Anthony]

Cannabis legalization in both states, support of the tea party in both, Julian Castro for either governor or senator in 2014, and Castro for either president or vice president in 2016.
George W. Bush's popularity in Texas since it's his home state. A GOP primary contest involving George W. Bush, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, and a general Republican against Rick Perry.

[Gillian Parrillo]

Texas: The Governor rejecting medicaid expansion. The Governor excluding Planned Parenthood from the state's Women's Health Program (WHP).
For Governor - Wendy Davis, Julian Castro, George P. Bush

[Katherine]

For Texas:
* Republican gubernatorial primary: Perry, Abbott
* Republican Lt Gov primary: David Dewhurst, Dan Patrick, Susan Combs, Jerry Patterson
* Favorability on George P. Bush (might do favorability on George W. or H.W. for comparison)

Thanks for polling Texas, Tom!

[Vik Verma]

For Texas

Governor: Wendy Davis (D), Kirk Watson (D), Bill White (D)

[Michael]

Texas...

Obviously Greg Abbott, Abbott v. Perry, etc.
unnamed Dem v. each in the general.

I'd consider asking Cecile Richards.

Would you prefer a tax cut to your sales and property taxes or for public funding for schools to be restored to pre-recession levels?

a gambling question.

issues you care most about this legisltaive session?

[Mike]

Since the GOP is trying to rig the electoral college vote in blue states, what is the opinion of Texans to allocating its electoral votes via a proportion of the total vote? There are referenda procedures in Texas, I believe. Something like this might come up to a vote there if push comes to shove.

[Gillian Parrillo]

Governor Perry refusal to expand medicare
Governor Perry removes Planned Parenthood from the Women;s Health Program

For Gov: Julian Castro, Wendy Davis, George P. Bush

[Evan]

Rhode Island:
Support/oppose voter ID law
Support/oppose marriage equality
Avedisian favorability. Gubernatorial prospects.
State leadership favorability(Fox & Paiva-Weed)
GOP primary Avedisian, Robitaille

[Michael]

Texas governor: Rick Perry, Greg Abbott, George P. Bush on the R side. Wendy Davis and Julian Castro on the D side. That's really the potential field.

Texas Senate: Not competitive for Ds. Test Joaquin Castro for kicks. He may run in the future but not probably this cycle.

[SD]

I appreciate you including these more uncommon states lately now that the election is over. I look forward to seeing Delaware and Hawaii sometime soon, since it's been so long since either of those have been polled.

For Rhode Island, please ask about same-sex marriage (legal/illegal), favorability of both U.S. Reps and Senators.

I would love to see a similar question about SSM in Texas out of curiosity since it's been so long since the issue was next polled. I'd love to see support for the Dream Act and a generic legislative ballot.

For both states, I'd love to see questions about whether voters support or oppose President Obama's gun proposals (avoiding the loaded terms "gun control" or "gun violence"). It would also be interesting to have a general question in both states about whether they believe the economy is getting better, getting worse, or remaining about the same.

Thanks as always for taking suggestions!!

[Derek]

Do 2016 polling for both states, both for the primaries and the general election.

[Landon C.]

For Texas,
Gubernatorial-
Greg Abbott vs. Rick Perry
Wendy Davis vs. Greg Abbott
Wendy Davis vs. Rick Perry
Wendy Davis vs. Bill White
Bill White vs. Rick Perry
Bill White vs. Greg Abbott

Lieutenant Governors Race-
Jerry Patterson vs. David Dewhurst vs. Todd Staples vs. Susan Combs

US Senate-
John Cornyn vs. Wendy Davis
John Cornyn vs. Either Castro brother.

[Glenn]

Texas: Gubernatorial race- democratic primary - Julian Castro, Anise Parker, John Whitmire
Republican primary - Rick Perry (with and without him running for re-election), David Dewhurst, Greg Abbott, Tom Leppert

[Taylor]

For RI Gubernatorial, can you test Brendan Doherty against opponents? He was the 2012 GOP nom for a congressional house seat, and led in some polls before losing.

For TX Gubernatorial, can you test Julian Castro (Mayor of San Antonio) against Rick Perry?

[Alexander]

Rhode Island Governor 2014

-Dem Primary (with, then without Chafee)
--Lincoln Chafee
--Gina Raimondo
--Angel Tavernas
--Ernie Almonte
Test against these Republicans in the General
-Allen Fung
-Scott Avedisian

Texas Governor
-Republican Primary
--Rick Perry vs. Ken Abbott
--Test against these Dems in the General
----Wendy Davis
----Bill White

Texas Senate
-John Cornyn vs. Wendy Davis
-John Cornyn vs. Lloyd Doggett

[Mike]

Never mind on that Texas suggestion... Apparently, there are no citizen initiated amendments allowed in the constitution.

[Joseph Vogas]

Texas: Guns in Schools/Armed Teachers. (HUGE in Texas opinion columns. Editorials against, write ins for)
Global Warming made made/natural/not happening
Rick Perry's tenure as governor has been: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor
Since suggested for Rhode Island, Gay Marriage as well.
Favorabilities on former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, George W. Bush, and George P. Bush
Dream Act (also poll if people can identify what it does as a follow up, HA!)

[Robert_1987]

Ask about same-sex marriage in both states.

[mikester]

For Democratic Governor Candidates:
Ernie Almonte (D) - Ex-State Auditor General
Gina Raimondo (D) - State Treasurer

For GOP Contenders:
Brendan Doherty (R) - Retired State Police Colonel
Allan Fung (R) - Cranston Mayor

And of Course use Chafee as an independent.

With Texas add Congressman Ron Paul for the Governor list against any democratic candidate.
Also add Former Sen. Hutchinson for the Governor contenders

[Andrew]

Be sure to include Moderate Ken Block in the Rhode Island Gubernatorial poll. He took 6.5% of the vote in 2010 and he's been very visible over the past year.

[Blue Dog 01]

TEXAS

Favorabilites:
Hillary Clinton
Lance Armstrong

Races:
Gov.
Sen.
Rail Road Comm. (isn't a BUSH running for that?)

[Mike]

RI-Sen: J Reed (D) vs D Carcieri (R)

RI-Gov: L Chafee (D) vs D Carcieri (R)

RI-Gov D Primary: All-in question (Chafee, Langevin, Raimondo,...)

[Ben Bowman]

Focus on Rick Perry:
Primary
General
Favorability

Also in Texas:
President 2016
Gay Marriage

[Chris S.]

2016 presidential matchups:

Hillary Clinton vs. Rick Perry
Hillary Clinton vs. Ted Cruz
Hillary Clinton vs. Marco Rubio
Hillary Clinton vs. Chris Christie

(would be interesting to see if Christie's comparatively better showing than Rubio against Clinton in national polls still holds in a heavily Republican, but also heavily Hispanic, state)

[Longhorn]

I just got polled here in TX. Was glad to punch the "I find Rick Perry unfavorable" button.

[pbrower2a]

Both states -- GUN CONTROL!

Include:

(1) ban on mentally ill getting guns
(2) ability of courts to demand surrender of firearms of spouse abusers
(3) ban on assault weapons
(4) ban of massacre clips

(5) would you vote for a pol who voted against weapons?

[GH]

Just for kicks, maybe Texans should be asked about succession.

[Ben Walker]

Obviously the gubernatorial numbers for both primary and general in texas.

Would also be ibnteresting to see Texans view on gay marraige...just for grins of course.

[Noah]

RI:
Add David Segal to the Gov mix maybe? He's got a loyal core of followers.
Gay marriage, of course.

TX:
Doggett statewides
Davis statewides
Castro statewides
Gun control
Succession (just for kicks)

[Dan]

Just for the heck of it, do Chafee v. Block. v. Dem. v. Rep. v. Cianci.

Also, Cicilline v. Doherty for Congress and Cicilline approval rating.

[Stephen S]

For next week's options, I think more states with key senate races is important. States like Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, South Dakota and West Virginia.