Raleigh, N.C. – PPP’s newest Iowa poll finds incumbent Republican GovernorTerry Branstad with a 50% approval rating to 38% of voters who disapprove of him. His opponent Democrat Jack Hatch has a 29% favorable rating to 30% of voters who disapprove of him, and 41% of voters don’t have an opinion about him.
Branstad is polling at 48% for November, followed by Hatch at 35%, Independent Jim Hennager and Libertarian Lee Deakins Hieb, both at 2%, and Iowa Party candidate Jonathan Narcisse at only 1%. Twelve percent of voters are undecided. Head to head with Hatch, Branstad is leading 50/37.
The race for the Senate in Iowa is tight. Both candidates, Democrat Bruce Braley and Republican Joni Ernst, are almost equally unpopular, with only 37% and 36% of voters, accordingly, who rate them favorably. Braley is leading at 41%, closely followed by Ernst at 40%, Libertarian Douglas Butzier and Independent Rich Stewart, both at 2%, and Ruth Smith at 1%. In a head to head contest, Braley and Ernest both are at 42%.
“The Iowa Senate race is now a complete toss up,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Joni Ernst has gained ground since winning the Republican primary. This is another key contest where the onslaught of early attack ads has left both candidates unpopular.”
In the race for the Secretary of State, Republican Paul Pate is leading at 35%, with Democrat Brad Anderson following at 34%, Independent Spencer Highland at 5%, and Libertarian Jake Porter at 2%. Republican Mary Mosiman is leading Democrat Jonathan Neiderbach 39/35 in the race for the Auditor of State. In the race for the Treasurer of State, Democrat Michael Fitzgerald is leading at 47%, followed by Republican Sam Clovis at 33%, and Libertarian Keith Laube at 5%. In the race for the Secretary of Agriculture, Republican Bill Northey is leading Democrat Sherrie Taha 46/28, with Independent Levi Benning following at 6%. Attorney General candidate Democrat Tom Miller is leading Republican Adam Gregg Republican 55/31.
PPP surveyed 915 likely voters from August 22-24th. The margin of error for the survey is +/- 3.2%. 80% of interviews for the poll were conducted over the phone with 20% interviewed over the internet to reach respondents who don’t have landline telephones.
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?
Approve …………………………………………………. 40%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 53%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 7%
Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor
Terry Branstad’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 50%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 38%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Jack Hatch?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 29%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 30%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 41%
Q4 The candidates for Governor are Republican
Terry Branstad, Democrat Jack Hatch, New
Independent Party candidate Jim Hennager,
Libertarian Party candidate Lee Deakins Hieb,
and Iowa Party candidate Jonathan Narcisse. If
the election was today, who would you vote
for?
Terry Branstad ………………………………………… 48%
Jack Hatch……………………………………………… 35%
Jim Hennager …………………………………………. 2%
Lee Deakins Hieb ……………………………………. 2%
Jonathan Narcisse …………………………………… 1%
Undecided………………………………………………. 12%
Q5 Horse race, with Hennager, Hieb, and Narcisse
supporters asked if they’d vote Branstad or
Hatch
Terry Branstad ………………………………………… 50%
Jack Hatch……………………………………………… 37%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Bruce Braley?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 37%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 22%
Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Joni Ernst?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 36%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 46%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%
Q8 The candidates for U.S. Senate are Democrat
Bruce Braley, Republican Joni Ernst,
Libertarian Douglas Butzier, Bob Quast, Ruth
Smith, and independent Rick Stewart. If the
election was today, who would you vote for?
Bruce Braley …………………………………………… 41%
Joni Ernst……………………………………………….. 40%
Douglas Butzier……………………………………….. 2%
Bob Quast………………………………………………. 0%
Ruth Smith……………………………………………… 1%
Rick Stewart……………………………………………. 2%
Undecided………………………………………………. 14%
Q9 Horse race, with Butzier, Quast, Smith, and
Stewart supporters asked if they’d vote Braley
or Ernst
Bruce Braley …………………………………………… 42%
Joni Ernst……………………………………………….. 42%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%
Q10 The candidates for Secretary of State are
Democrat Brad Anderson, Republican Paul
Pate, New Independent Party candidate
Spencer Highland, and Libertarian Jake Porter.
If the election was today, who would you vote
for?
Brad Anderson………………………………………… 34%
Paul Pate ……………………………………………….. 35%
Spencer Highland ……………………………………. 5%
Jake Porter …………………………………………….. 2%
Undecided………………………………………………. 24%
Q11 The candidates for Auditor of State are
Democrat Jonathan Neiderbach and
Republican Mary Mosiman. If the election was
today, who would you vote for?
Jonathan Neiderbach……………………………….. 35%
Mary Mosiman ………………………………………… 39%
Undecided………………………………………………. 26%
Q12 The candidates for Treasurer of State are
Democrat Michael Fitzgerald, Republican Sam
Clovis, and Libertarian Keith Laube. If the
election was today, who would you vote for?
Michael Fitzgerald……………………………………. 47%
Sam Clovis……………………………………………… 33%
Keith Laube…………………………………………….. 5%
Undecided………………………………………………. 16%
Q13 The candidates for Secretary of Agriculture are
Democrat Sherrie Taha, Republican Bill
Northey, and New Independent Party
candidate Levi Benning. If the election was
today, who would you vote for?
Sherrie Taha …………………………………………… 28%
Bill Northey …………………………………………….. 46%
Levi Benning…………………………………………… 6%
Undecided………………………………………………. 19%
Q14 The candidates for Attorney General are
Democrat Tom Miller and Republican Adam
Gregg. If the election was today, who would
you vote for?
Tom Miller ………………………………………………. 55%
Adam Gregg …………………………………………… 31%
Undecided………………………………………………. 14%
Q15 In the last presidential election, did you vote for
Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 48%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 45%
Someone else / Don’t remember ……………….. 7%
Q16 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 11%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 20%
Moderate………………………………………………… 29%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 23%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 17%
Q17 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 53%
Man……………………………………………………….. 47%
Q18 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 ……………………………………………….. 35%
Republican……………………………………………… 34%
Independent / Other…………………………………. 31%
Q19 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 95%
Other……………………………………………………… 5%
Q20 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………………………………………………….. 12%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 20%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 42%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 26%
Q21 Mode
Phone ……………………………………………………. 80%
Internet ………………………………………………….. 20%
