Raleigh, N.C.-– PPP finds that a majority of Iowa voters support raising the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $10.10 per hour. 52% support that proposal, with only 36% opposing. Raising the minimum wage gets near universal support from Democrats (80% in support), a plurality of support from Independents (45% support, 38% oppose), and even a quarter of Republicans (26% in support). Voters under 30, whom minimum wage opponents often say would be harmed by a $10.10 minimum wage, show widespread support for the proposal (63% support, 28% oppose).

Almost five years after the Iowa Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in Iowa, voters are still split over whether it should be allowed. Our latest poll found almost no change from when we polled in July: 46% think it should be allowed, whereas 45% think it should not. However, a majority of voters (64%) agree that legal same-sex marriage has had no impact on their lives. The only exception seems to be ‘very conservative’ voters, 59% of whom said that same-sex marriage had a negative impact on their lives.

This is also an issue that has produced one of the strongest gender gaps we’ve seen recently with a 39-point swing from men to women. Male voters strongly oppose same-sex marriage (37% support, 56% oppose), whereas female voters strongly support it (55% support, 35% oppose).

As we’ve seen in every other state we’ve polled this year, a strong majority of Iowa voters want Congress to continue unemployment benefits (60/35). Democrats overwhelmingly support continuing, as do almost half of Republicans (44%).

Iowa also joins all other states we’ve polled this year by favoring medical marijuana by a large margin (62/27). Democrats and Independents heavily support legalization (77% and 64%, respectively), and Republicans are exactly split (42/42). Recreational marijuana, however, still remains unpopular with voters. Only 33% want it to be legal, as compared to 60% who want it to remain illegal.

PPP surveyed 869 Iowa voters from February 20th to 23rd. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 3.3%. 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 Senator
Charles Grassley’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 51%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%

Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Tom Vilsack?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 45%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 35%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%

Q3 If the candidates for Senate in 2016 were
Republican Charles Grassley and Democrat
Tom Vilsack, who would you vote for?
Charles Grassley …………………………………….. 48%
Tom Vilsack…………………………………………….. 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%

Q4 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Tom
Harkin’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 45%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 36%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%

Q5 Generally speaking, if there was an election for
the state legislature today, would you vote for
the Democratic or Republican candidate from
your district?
Democratic candidate ………………………………. 41%
Republican candidate ………………………………. 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%

Q6 Do you think same-sex marriage should be
allowed in Iowa, or not?
Think it should be allowed…………………………. 46%
Think it should not be……………………………….. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%

Q7 Has the legalization of gay marriage in Iowa
had a positive or negative impact on your life,
or has it not had any impact at all?
Positive impact………………………………………… 14%
Negative impact ………………………………………. 23%
No impact at all ……………………………………….. 64%

Q8 Do you support or oppose increasing Iowa’s
minimum wage, which is $7.25 per hour, to
$10.10 per hour?
Support ………………………………………………….. 52%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 36%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%

Q9 Congress is considering whether to continue or
cut off federal unemployment benefits for
workers whose state unemployment benefits
have ended but cannot find a job. Do you think
that Congress should continue or cut off federal
unemployment benefits at this time?
Strongly feel they should continue them……… 37%
Somewhat think they should continue them…. 23%
Strongly feel they shoudl cut them off…………. 25%
Somewhat think they should cut them off ……. 10%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%

Q10 Do you think marijuana should be legally
allowed for medical purposes with the approval
of a doctor, or not?
Think it should be…………………………………….. 62%
Think it should not……………………………………. 27%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%

Q11 Do you think marijuana should be legally
allowed for recreational use, that stores should
be allowed to sell it, and that its sales should
be taxed and regulated similarly to alcohol, or
not?
Think it should be…………………………………….. 33%
Think it should not……………………………………. 60%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 7%

Q12 Do you consider yourself to be an Iowa or Iowa
State fan?
Iowa ………………………………………………………. 51%
Iowa State………………………………………………. 23%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 26%

Q13 (Q13-14 asked only of Iowa fans) Do you
approve or disapprove of the job Kirk Ferentz is
doing as football coach?
Approve …………………………………………………. 60%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 13%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 26%

Q14 Do you approve or disapprove of the job Fran
McCaffrey is doing as basketball coach?
Approve …………………………………………………. 64%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 3%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 32%

Q15 (Q15-16 asked only of Iowa State fans) Do you
approve or disapprove of the job Paul Rhoads
is doing as football coach?
Approve …………………………………………………. 68%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 7%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 25%

Q16 Do you approve or disapprove of the job Fred
Hoiberg is doing as basketball coach?
Approve …………………………………………………. 80%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 3%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%

Q17 Is your favorite Major League Baseball team
the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago
Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals,
Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New
York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, or some
other team?
Braves …………………………………………………… 2%
Red Sox…………………………………………………. 4%
Cubs ……………………………………………………… 32%
White Sox ………………………………………………. 2%
Royals……………………………………………………. 5%
Brewers …………………………………………………. 3%
Twins……………………………………………………… 8%
Yankees …………………………………………………. 8%
Cardinals………………………………………………… 14%
Some other team / Not a baseball fan…………. 22%

Q18 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%

Q19 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 10%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 22%
Moderate………………………………………………… 30%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 24%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 14%

Q20 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 51%
Man……………………………………………………….. 49%

Q21 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 ……………………………………………….. 37%
Republican……………………………………………… 31%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 32%

Q22 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 93%
Other……………………………………………………… 7%

Q23 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………………………………………………….. 26%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 42%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%

Q24 Mode
Phone ……………………………………………………. 80%
Internet ………………………………………………….. 20%