Raleigh, N.C. – Add Alaska to the list of states where Hillary Clinton, at least
for now, might be competitive if she runs for President in 2016. Our new
poll there finds just one point separating Clinton from two of the
leading potential candidates for the GOP- she leads Marco Rubio 44/43
and trails Chris Christie 43/42. Clinton has a 47/45 favorability rating
in the state, including 53/38 with independents.
It’s not a match up likely to occur but Clinton would destroy Sarah
Palin in a hypothetical match up in the state, 53/37, including a 62/25
lead with independents. There’s no appetite among Alaskans for Palin
2016- only 16% think she should run to 78% who think she should not, and
even among Republicans just 18% would like to see her make a bid.
To put into perspective just how poorly thought of Palin is in Alaska
now, consider this: Congress has an 8% favorability rating in the
state. But asked whether they have a higher opinion of Congress or
Palin, Alaskans pick Congress by a 50/34 margin.
“Alaskans are pretty clearly done with Sarah Palin,” said Dean Debnam,
President of Public Policy Polling. “They wouldn’t support her for the Senate,
they wouldn’t support her for President, and they have an ever lower opinion of
her than they do of Congress.”
Long time Republican Congressman Don Young has a 50/40 approval rating.
In a hypothetical contest against 2010 Democratic Senate nominee Scott
McAdams he would lead 54/37. Doesn’t look like he should be in too much
trouble next year.
Lisa Murkowski is one of the most popular Senators in the country
with 54% of voters approving of her to 33% disapprove. She pulls the
rare feat of having majority approval from Democrats (59/25),
independents (52/33), and Republicans (51/38). The only other Senator
who manages that in our polling is Susan Collins. It’s also interesting
to note that Murkowski’s strongest numbers come with Democrats.
Alaska voters aren’t on board yet with same sex marriage, but
they’re pretty strongly supportive of at least civil unions for gay
couples. 43% of voters in the state think gay marriage should be legal
to 51% who still think it should be illegal. But 67% support some form
of legal recognition to just 30% who think there should be none at all.
PPP surveyed 1,129 Alaska voters from February 4th to 5th.
The margin of error is +/-2.9%. 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 approve or disapprove of
Congressman Don Young’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 50%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q2 If the candidates for Congress next year were
Republican Don Young and Democrat Scott
McAdams, who would you vote for?
Don Young ……………………………………………… 54%
Scott McAdams……………………………………….. 37%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q3 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Lisa
Murkowski’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 54%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 33%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%
Q4 Generally speaking, if there was an election for
the state legislature today, would you vote for
the Democratic or Republican candidate from
your district?
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 36%
Republican……………………………………………… 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%
Q5 Do you think same-sex marriage should be
allowed in Alaska, or not?
It should be allowed …………………………………. 43%
It should not ……………………………………………. 51%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%
Q6 Which of the following best describes your
opinion on gay marriage: gay couples should
be allowed to legally marry, or gay couples
should be allowed to form civil unions but not
legally marry, or there should be no legal
recognition of a gay couple’s relationship?
Gay couples should be allowed to legally
marry ……………………………………………………..40%
Gay couples should be allowed to form civil
unions but not marry …………………………………27%
There should be no legal recognition of a gay
couple’s relationship …………………………………30%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 3%
Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Hillary Clinton?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 47%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 7%
Q8 If the candidates for President in 2016 were
Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Chris
Christie, who would you vote for?
Hillary Clinton………………………………………….. 42%
Chris Christie ………………………………………….. 43%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%
Q9 If the candidates for President in 2016 were
Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Sarah
Palin, who would you vote for?
Hillary Clinton………………………………………….. 53%
Sarah Palin …………………………………………….. 37%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q10 If the candidates for President in 2016 were
Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican
Marco Rubio, who would you vote for?
Hillary Clinton………………………………………….. 44%
Marco Rubio …………………………………………… 43%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%
Q11 Do you think Sarah Palin should run for
President in 2016, or not?
She should run………………………………………… 16%
She should not………………………………………… 78%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%
Q12 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Congress?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 8%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 82%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q13 What do you have a higher opinion of:
Congress or Sarah Palin?
Congress ……………………………………………….. 50%
Sarah Palin …………………………………………….. 34%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%
Q14 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 9%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 15%
Moderate………………………………………………… 33%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 25%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 19%
Q15 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 53%
Man……………………………………………………….. 47%
Q16 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 ……………………………………………….. 21%
Republican……………………………………………… 32%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 46%
Q17 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 78%
Other……………………………………………………… 22%
Q18 If you are 18 to 45 years old, press 1. If 46 to
65, press 2. If you are older than 65, press 3.
18 to 45………………………………………………….. 36%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 46%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 18%