Polls

Maine voters unfazed by gay marriage, support assault weapons ban

| Tom Jensen


Header-poll-results
Raleigh, N.C. —
Gay marriage has been legal for three weeks in Maine now, and for most
voters in the state it’s not proving to be a big deal. 78% say it’s
either had no impact or a positive impact on their life, while just 22%
claim its becoming legal has had a negative effect on them. Even among
Republican voters, who largely opposed it at the ballot box in November,
60% grant that it’s not actually having any negative impact on them.
Voters continue to think gay marriage should be legal by a 53/43 margin,
numbers pretty similar to the election results.

“78% of Maine voters- including a majority of people who voted against it in
November- say that gay marriage being legal in the state is not having an
adverse impact on their lives,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling.
“For all the debate over the years it’s turning out not to be a big deal for
the vast majority of voters in the state.”

Maine voters support an assault weapons ban
by a 55/38 margin. Almost 80% of Democrats support it and it also has
majority support from independents, and 26% favor from Republicans.
Maine voters do not like the NRA- 42% view it favorably to 47% with an
unfavorable opinion- and voters trust President Obama over the NRA on
the issue of guns by a 49/43 margin. GOP voters in Maine are generally
unhappy with Obama’s gun push though, and they support impeaching him by
a 50/30 margin. Those numbers might help explain why Susan Collins
could be vulnerable to a primary challenger next year.

Our first look at SENATOR Angus King’s job performance finds 44% of
voters giving him good marks to 25% who disapprove and unsurprisingly
this early in his tenure, 31% not having an opinion about him either
way. His numbers are very good with Democrats (63/11), decent with
independents (40/26), and pretty weak with Republicans (20/45).

With the Big East desperate for football schools we asked Mainers if
they would support a move up to Division 1 and the Big East, but only
21% of voters support it with 15% opposed and 64% unsure. NO ONE wants
to be in the Big East these days.

PPP surveyed 1,268
Maine voters from January 18th to 20th. The margin of
error is +/-2.8%. 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 President
Barack Obama’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 54%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 42%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 4%

Q2 Do you think same-sex marriage should be
allowed in Maine, or not?
It should …………………………………………………. 53%
It should not ……………………………………………. 43%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 4%

Q3 Has the legalization of same-sex marriage in
Maine had a positive or negative impact on
your life, or has it not had any impact at all?
Positive impact………………………………………… 17%
Negative impact ………………………………………. 22%
No impact at all ……………………………………….. 61%

Q4 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator
Angus King’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 44%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 25%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 31%

Q5 Would you support or oppose the Maine Black
Bears moving to the Big East for football?
Support ………………………………………………….. 21%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 15%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 64%

Q6 Would you support or oppose banning assault
weapons?
Support ………………………………………………….. 55%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 38%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 7%

Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the National Rifle Association?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 42%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 47%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%

Q8 Do you support or oppose the executive orders
President Obama issued on guns this week?
Support ………………………………………………….. 49%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 39%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%

Q9 Who do you trust more on the issue of guns:
Barack Obama or the NRA?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 49%
The NRA………………………………………………… 43%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 8%

Q10 Would you support or opposing impeaching
President Obama?
Support ………………………………………………….. 26%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 62%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%

Q11 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Lance Armstrong?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 9%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 66%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 24%

Q12 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 12%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 22%
Moderate………………………………………………… 31%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 21%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 14%

Q13 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 53%
Man……………………………………………………….. 47%

Q14 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 ……………………………………………….. 40%
Republican……………………………………………… 30%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 30%

Q15 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 92%
Other……………………………………………………… 8%

Q16 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………………………………………………….. 39%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 40%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 21%

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