Polls

Americans trust Clinton over GOP on Benghazi

| Tom Jensen


Header-poll-results
Raleigh, N.C. –

PPP’s newest national poll finds that Republicans aren’t getting much traction
with their focus on Benghazi over the last week. Voters trust Hillary Clinton
over Congressional Republicans on the issue of Benghazi by a 49/39 margin and
Clinton’s +8 net favorability rating at 52/44 is identical to what it was on
our last national poll in late March. Meanwhile Congressional Republicans
remain very unpopular with a 36/57 favorability rating.

Voters think Congress should be more focused on other major issues right now
rather than Benghazi. By a 56/38 margin they say passing a comprehensive
immigration reform bill is more important than continuing to focus on Benghazi,
and by a 52/43 spread they think passing a bill requiring background checks for
all gun sales should be a higher priority.

While voters overall may think Congress’ focus should be elsewhere there’s
no doubt about how mad Republicans are about Benghazi. 41% say they consider
this to be the biggest political scandal in American history to only 43% who
disagree with that sentiment. Only 10% of Democrats and 20% of independents
share that feeling. Republicans think by a 74/19 margin than Benghazi is a
worse political scandal than Watergate, by a 74/12 margin that it’s worse than
Teapot Dome, and by a 70/20 margin that it’s worse than Iran Contra.

One interesting thing about the voters who think Benghazi is the biggest
political scandal in American history is that 39% of them don’t actually know
where it is. 10% think it’s in Egypt, 9% in Iran, 6% in Cuba, 5% in Syria, 4%
in Iraq, and 1% each in North Korea and Liberia with 4% not willing to venture
a guess.

“What we’re finding after last week’s Benghazi hearings is that as angry as
Republicans are, most voters think Congress should be focused more on other
issues,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “And Hillary
Clinton’s poll numbers weren’t negatively impacted by the focus on her.”

PPP surveyed 576
voters nationwide from May 10th to 12th. The margin of error is +/-4.1%. This poll was not
paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys
are conducted through automated telephone interviews.

Topline results are below.  Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Hillary Clinton?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 52%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 44%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 5%

Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Congressional Republicans?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 36%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 57%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 7%

Q3 Who do you trust more on the issue of
Benghazi: Hillary Clinton or Congressional
Republicans?
Hillary Clinton………………………………………….. 49%
Congressional Republicans ………………………. 39%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%

Q4 Where do you think Benghazi is located: Egypt,
Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Syria, Iraq, or
Liberia?
Egypt …………………………………………………….. 10%
Cuba ……………………………………………………… 3%
Iran ……………………………………………………….. 4%
North Korea ……………………………………………. 2%
Libya ……………………………………………………… 58%
Syria ……………………………………………………… 8%
Iraq ……………………………………………………….. 1%
Liberia……………………………………………………. 2%
Somewhere else/Not sure…………………………. 13%

Q5 What do you think should be a higher priority
for Congress: investigating Benghazi or
passing a bill requiring background checks for
all gun sales?
Investigating Benghazi……………………………… 43%
Passing a bill requiring background checks
for all gun sales ……………………………………….52%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 5%

Q6 What do you think should be a higher priority
for Congress: investigating Benghazi or
passing a comprehensive immigration reform
bill?
Investigating Benghazi……………………………… 38%
Passing a comprehensive immigration reform
bill ………………………………………………………….56%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%

Q7 Which political scandal do you think is worse:
Benghazi or Watergate?
Benghazi………………………………………………… 45%
Watergate ………………………………………………. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%

Q8 Which political scandal do you think is worse:
Benghazi or the Teapot Dome scandal?
Benghazi………………………………………………… 45%
Teapot Dome ………………………………………….. 30%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 25%

Q9 Which political scandal do you think is worse:
Benghazi or Iran Contra?
Benghazi………………………………………………… 44%
Iran Contra……………………………………………… 44%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%

Q10 Do you think Benghazi is the biggest political
scandal in American history, or not?
It is ………………………………………………………… 23%
It is not …………………………………………………… 65%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%

Q11 In the last presidential election, did you vote for
Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 49%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 43%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 8%

Q12 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 10%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 16%
Moderate………………………………………………… 39%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 20%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 14%

Q13 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 52%
Man……………………………………………………….. 48%

Q14 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 39%
Republican……………………………………………… 31%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 30%

Q15 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 8%
White …………………………………………………….. 73%
African-American …………………………………….. 11%
Other……………………………………………………… 8%

Q16 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 15%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 22%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 45%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 18%

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