Raleigh,
N.C. – PPP’s newest Massachusetts poll finds
Hillary Clinton leading among 2016 Democratic primary contenders. Clinton got
the support of 55% of Bay Staters, compared to 17% for Joe Biden, 4% for Andrew
Cuomo, 1% for Martin O’Malley and negligible support for Brian Schweitzer and
Mark Warner. Home-state contenders Elizabeth Warren and Deval Patrick each
received 4%.
“It says a lot about
the universal desire for Hillary Clinton to be the Democratic candidate in 2016
that she’s over 50% in Massachusetts even with two home state officials in the
mix,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling.
On matters of state
politics, Massachusetts voters are somewhat divided. 48% approve of Governor
Deval Patrick’s job performance, to 41% who disapprove. This is very close to
the 48%-38% spread PPP found last October, suggesting Patrick’s leadership
after the Boston bombing hasn’t much changed voters’ perceptions of him.
Elizabeth Warren receives a similarly split verdict; 44% approve of her job
performance, and 39% disapprove.
Bay Staters stand
in consensus on the effect that same-sex marriage has had on their private
lives: little. 60% report no impact since the state supreme court legalized the
institution in 2004. 25% say same-sex marriage has had a positive impact on
their lives, and only 15% say it has been detrimental. Independents (15%
positive, 15% negative, 70% none) and Republicans (12% positive, 26% negative,
62% none) roughly hew to this line. 41% of Democrats say that same-sex marriage
has had a positive impact, 49% have noticed no difference, and a mere 10% see
negative impact.
The survey found
Massachusetts voters bullish on the Red Sox. 27% believe the Sox will win the
World Series. 21% think they’ll win the American League but not the Series, 41%
anticipate them making the playoffs but not winning the pennant, and only 3%
don’t see postseason games coming to Fenway Park.
PPP surveyed 1,539 Massachusetts
voters on May 1st and 2nd , including 666 Democratic
primary voters. The margin of error is +/-2.5% for the overall survey and +/-
3.8% for the Democratic primary portion. 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 (Asked of 666 Democratic primary voters)
Given the choices of Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton,
Andrew Cuomo, Kirsten Gillibrand, Martin
O’Malley, Deval Patrick, Brian Schweitzer,
Mark Warner, and Elizabeth Warren, who
would you most like to see as the Democratic
candidate for President in 2016?
Joe Biden……………………………………………….. 17%
Hillary Clinton………………………………………….. 55%
Andrew Cuomo ……………………………………….. 4%
Kirsten Gillibrand …………………………………….. 0%
Martin O’Malley……………………………………….. 1%
Deval Patrick…………………………………………… 4%
Brian Schweitzer ……………………………………… 0%
Mark Warner …………………………………………… 0%
Elizabeth Warren …………………………………….. 4%
Someone else/Not sure ……………………………. 14%
Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator
Elizabeth Warren’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .44%
Disapprove…………. .39%
Not sure …………….. .16%
Q3 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor
Deval Patrick’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .48%
Disapprove…………. .41%
Not sure …………….. .10%
Q4 Has the legalization of gay marriage in
Massachusetts had a positive or negative
impact on your life, or has it not had any impact
at all?
Positive impact………………………………………… 25%
Negative impact ………………………………………. 15%
Hasn’t made any impact at all ……………………. 60%
Q5 Do you think same-sex marriage should be
allowed, or not?
It should be allowed …………………………………. 58%
It should not ……………………………………………. 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q6 Do you approve or disapprove of the job John
Farrell is doing as manager?
Approve …………….. .64%
Disapprove…………. . 1%
Not sure …………….. .36%
Q7 What do you think the outcome of the Red Sox
season will be this year: win the World Series,
win the American League but not the World
Series, make the playoffs but not win the
pennant, or miss the playoffs?
They’ll win the
World Series ………..27%
They’ll win the AL
pennant but not the
Series………………….21%
They’ll make the
playoffs but not win
the pennant………….41%
They’ll miss the
playoffs ……………….3%
Not sure …………….. . 7%
Q8 In the last Presidential election, did you vote for
Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 57%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 39%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 5%
Q9 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 17%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 22%
Moderate………………………………………………… 33%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 20%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 8%
Q10 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 55%
Man……………………………………………………….. 45%
Q11 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 ……………………………………………….. 41%
Republican……………………………………………… 17%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 42%
Q12 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 84%
Other……………………………………………………… 16%
Q13 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………………………………………………….. 9%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 24%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 46%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 21%
