Raleigh, N.C. – New Hampshire voters are evenly split on Barack Obama’s job performance, 47-48, but they are less in favor of putting another seat on the president’s side of the aisle in the Senate.
Congressman Paul Hodes lags behind both Kelly Ayotte, 47-40, and Bill Binnie, 46-41, but leads Jim Bender, 43-40, and Ovide Lamontagne, 43-38.
Ayotte, at 34-24 favorable to unfavorable, is seen in the most positive light of all the candidates by far. Binnie is next at 25-23. Bender and Lamontagne are known by only 24 and 40% of voters, respectively, but those who have heard of them decidedly disapprove, 6-18 for Bender and 12-28 for Lamontagne.
The fact that even the unpopular Republican candidates trail Hodes by only a few points can be chalked up to the congressman’s 32-39 overall approval rating. That mark is 28-45 with independents, who are split between Hodes and Lamontagne at 38 but go for Ayotte, Binnie, and Bender by 15-, 10-, and two-point margins.
The news is no better in the district Hodes currently represents in the House. He has a 39-38 favorability rating among his constituents, but as statewide, he loses to Ayotte, 42-47, and Binnie, 44-45.
“It looks like, for the sake of his party, Judd Gregg picked a good time to retire,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Hodes looked relatively strong when we last polled New Hampshire in February 2009, but the political climate has dragged him down along with President Obama.”
PPP surveyed 1,474 New Hampshire voters from April 17th to 18th. The survey’s margin of error is +/-2.6%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
Complete results are attached and can be found at www.publicpolicypolling.com.
If you would like an interview regarding this release, please contact Dean Debnam at (888) 621-6988 or 919-880-4888.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of President
Barack Obama’s job performance? If you
approve, press 1. If you disapprove, press 2.
If you’re not sure, press 3.
Approve …………………………………………………. 47%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 48%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 5%
Q2 Do you support or oppose President Obama’s
health care plan, or do you not have an
opinion? If you support it, press 1. If you
oppose it, press 2. If you don’t have an opinion,
press 3.
Support ………………………………………………….. 42%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 50%
No Opinion……………………………………………… 8%
Q3 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Judd
Gregg’s job performance?
Approve ……………… 44%
Disapprove………….. 37%
Not Sure……………… 18%
Q4 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator
Jeanne Shaheen’s job performance?
Approve…………….. 42%
Disapprove………… 48%
Not Sure……………. 10%
Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Paul Hodes?
Favorable……………. 32%
Unfavorable ………… 39%
Not Sure……………… 28%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Kelly Ayotte?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 34%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 24%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 41%
Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Bill Binnie?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 25%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 23%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 52%
Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Jim Bender?
Favorable ………….. 6%
Unfavorable……….. 18%
Not Sure……………. 76%
Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Ovide Lamontagne?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 12%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 28%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 59%
Q10 If the candidates for US Senate this fall were
Democrat Paul Hodes and Republican Kelly
Ayotte, who would you vote for?
Paul Hodes …………………………………………….. 40%
Kelly Ayotte…………………………………………….. 47%
Undecided………………………………………………. 13%
Q11 If the candidates for US Senate this fall were
Democrat Paul Hodes and Republican Bill
Binnie, who would you vote for?
Paul Hodes …………………………………………….. 41%
Bill Binnie……………………………………………….. 46%
Undecided………………………………………………. 13%
Q12 If the candidates for US Senate this fall were
Democrat Paul Hodes and Republican Jim
Bender, who would you vote for?
Paul Hodes …………………………………………….. 43%
Jim Bender……………………………………………… 40%
Undecided………………………………………………. 18%
Q13 If the candidates for US Senate this fall were
Democrat Paul Hodes and Republican Ovide
Lamontagne, who would you vote for?
Paul Hodes …………………………………………….. 43%
Ovide Lamontagne…………………………………… 38%
Undecided………………………………………………. 19%
Q14 Who did you vote for President last year? If
John McCain, press 1. If Barack Obama, press
2. If someone else or you don’t remember,
press 3.
McCain…………………………………………………… 46%
Obama…………………………………………………… 50%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 4%
Q15 Would you describe yourself as a liberal,
moderate, or conservative? If liberal, press 1. If
moderate, press 2. If conservative, press 3.
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 18%
Moderate………………………………………………… 47%
Conservative…………………………………………… 35%
Q16 If you are a woman, press 1, if a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 53%
Man……………………………………………………….. 47%
Q17 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If you are a
Republican, press 2. If you are an independent
or identify with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 33%
Republican……………………………………………… 30%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 37%
Q18 If you are white, press one now. If other, press
2.
White …………………………………………………….. 95%
Other……………………………………………………… 5%
Q19 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1 now. If
you are 30 to 45, press 2. If you are 46 to 65,
press 3. If older, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 10%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 20%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 50%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
Q20
1st…………………………………………………………. 44%
2nd………………………………………………………… 56%
