In Numbers, We Can Make a Difference
Here's what others have said about Public Policy Polling's track record:
Talking Points Memo 8/22/11 How PPP became the 'It' Democratic Pollster
"Just a few short years ago, Public Policy Polling was an obscure Democratic outfit, mostly focused on local polling in Raleigh, North Carolina. Now, ten years after its founding, PPP is driving national coverage with an unmatched supply of polls on everything from the Republican primaries to God's approval rating. Since their automated polls are so cheap to conduct, they've been able to flood the zone in early polling on federal races, and they've notched up an impressive record on special elections, which are notoriously hard to predict."
Politico 7/14/11 The polling is right: why PPP deserves props
"The Democratic-aligned Public Policy Polling firm takes a fair amount of partisan flack for the mounds of data it produces in races across the country.
"But in 2011, it is building the best defense possible: Getting it right.
"In the three campaigns it has polled thus far this cycle, PPP has been within one point in one special House election, within two points in another and within three points of calling a gubernatorial primary.
"It's a record that should make it more difficult for outsiders -- in most cases, Republicans -- to take shots at the North Carolina-based pollster when it unloads numbers that don't line up with their own desired outcomes."
Politico 5/25/11 NY-26: The Winners and Losers
"Hand it to the two pollsters — they were the only ones to regularly poll the race, and both said that Hochul was in a position to win. About a month ago, Siena and PPP came out with surveys showing the Democrat on the rise, and Davis cutting into Corwin's GOP support. In an instant, the narrative surrounding the race changed. Added bonus for PPP, a Democratic firm that has come under fire from Republican critics: In its final survey of the race, they went out on a limb and polled a surprisingly large Democratic voter pool for a district that historically has supported GOP candidates. The poll, which showed Hochul up 6 points over Corwin, was close to the mark."
Politico 3/31/11 PPP sells to left, polls down middle
"Would Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) be better off as an independent? How would television personality Drew Carey fare as a Republican challenger to Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)? Is Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine really the candidate Democrats want for Senate in Virginia?
"These and many other political news stories in recent weeks have something in common: They're based on surveys conducted by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic automated polling firm based in North Carolina whose profile has risen by leaps and bounds in recent years and stands to loom even larger during the 2012 election cycle.
"Twenty months from the next election, PPP has shrewdly capitalized on the relative void of polling in many states — and the media's hunger for data to explain every new development.
"As a result, business is booming."
Washington Post 9/15/10 Winners and Losers from Sept. 14 Primaries
"The North Carolina-based polling firm released data a few days ago that showed O'Donnell ahead of Castle 47 percent to 44 percent. Because it's an automated poll -- interviews for the poll are not conducted by live callers -- many operatives (and journalists) dismissed the result. But, O'Donnell's six-point margin proved PPP's numbers were right.
Politico 8/25/10 Florida's other winner: robo-polling
"While not on the ballot, another group of often-maligned politicos also won big on Tuesday: automated pollsters, whose numbers in Florida correctly predicted that Scott would overcome state Attorney General Bill McCollum to claim the GOP nomination.
"Even as several white-shoe polling outfits, including Mason-Dixon and Quinnipiac University, pegged McCollum as the late-breaking favorite, the Democratic-aligned firm Public Policy Polling and the Republican-friendly Susquehanna Polling and Research gave Scott an upper hand. In a survey released Sunday, PPP gave Scott a 7-point lead, while a Susquehanna poll conducted a week earlier put Scott two points ahead.
"Scott ended up winning by just three points — and in coming out on top, he stunned political insiders in Florida and Washington who were prepared to announce his time of death after a spate of ominous polling that was viewed as authoritative. And even if they were off on Scott's margin, the Republican's victory also is vindication for so-called robo-polls, which have flooded the campaign world this year despite persistent reservations about their reliability among the more traditional practitioners of the polling priesthood.
Wall Street Journal
A comprehensive analysis of swing state polls that appeared in the November 6, 2008 edition of the Wall Street Journal identified Public Policy Polling as one of the two most accurate companies in the country.
SurveyUSA Report Card
During the primaries SurveyUSA, a rival polling company, did report cards based on eight measures of polling accuracy after each individual contest. According to those report cards, PPP had the most accurate poll of any organization in the country for South Carolina, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Indiana, and Oregon. Additionally, PPP had the most accurate combined numbers of anyone for the key March 4th primaries in Texas and Ohio.
Jeff Mapes, Portland Oregonian
Of the pollsters for the general election in Oregon, Jeff Mapes of the Portland Oregonian wrote "In the presidential race, Public Policy Polling, which also uses recorded voices to question voters, came the closest." Mapes also showed PPP as the strongest pollster for the Democratic primary in the state, and commenting on PPP's ability to poll races beyond the top of the ballot wrote, "Public Policy Polling does get points for showing strong leads for John Kroger in the attorney general's race and Kate Brown in the secretary of state race. Both, of course, won."
Matthew Reichbach, New Mexico Independent
Of the pollsters in New Mexico, Matthew Reichbach of the New Mexico Independent said "So who was the most accurate pollster in New Mexico? That honor looks to go to Public Policy Polling (PPP), who conducted a poll on Oct. 28-30 and showed a 17 percentage point lead for Obama, 58 percent to 41 percent."
Darrel Rowland, Columbus Dispatch
Darrel Rowland of the Columbus Dispatch, in discussing PPP's final pre election poll in Ohio, wrote "Public Policy Polling of North Carolina also came within 2 points of Obama's margin." After the Ohio Democratic primary Rowland also commented on PPP's accuracy, writing "Public Policy Polling of Raleigh, N.C., came within a point of the actual margin."
Scott Mooneyham, NC syndicated columnist
Scott Mooneyham, a syndicated columnist in North Carolina, wrote "Public Policy Polling, a Democratic firm based in Raleigh, was pretty accurate across the board, especially at the top of the ticket. Its final polls put Obama ahead by a single percentage point in the state, Hagan ahead by 7 and Perdue up by 1. Perdue won by 3 percentage points. For the first time, North Carolina also saw some substantial public polling on down-ballot races, primarily by Public Policy Polling. Those polls accurately predicted winners."
Fayetteville Observer
After the North Carolina primary the Fayetteville Observer wrote about PPP's polls under the headline "Perfect Prognosticating."
Raleigh News & Observer
The Raleigh News & Observer wrote "Public Policy Polling had the best numbers on the presidential race' under the headline "Local pollster tops them all."
Greensboro News & Record
Following the South Carolina primary the Greensboro News & Record commented "With all the hay made over haywire polls in New Hampshire, let's give credit where credit is due. Public Policy Polling is a Raleigh outfit that uses automated calls to survey potential voters. The company was on the nose Saturday, predicting that Barack Obama would win by 20 percentage points, with most other polling firms predicting less. As it turned out, PPP was the closest of the pollster pack."









