Raleigh, N.C. – PPP’s newest national poll finds that the NRA’s image has declined over the last three weeks following Wayne LaPierre’s controversial press conference the week before Christmas.
The NRA now has a negative favorability rating, with 42% of voters seeing it positively while 45% have an unfavorable view. That represents a 10 point net decline in the NRA’s favorability from the week before the press conference when a national poll we did found it at 48/41. Its image has taken a hit with both Democrats (from 29/59 to 22/67) and Republicans (71/19 to 66/18).
The NRA’s focus on putting more guns in schools is likely what’s driving the decline in the organization’s image. Only 41% of voters support the organization’s proposal to put armed police officers in schools across the country, with 50% opposed. Democrats (35/57) and independents (38/51) both oppose the push and even among Republicans only a narrow majority (52/39) supports it.
“The more the NRA talks the less popular it becomes,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Americans don’t think the solution to tragedies like Newtown is to put more guns in schools.”
Congress emerged from the fiscal cliff debate with a 7% approval rating, with 81% of voters disapproving of it. But the two parties aren’t going in for equal blame. While the Democrats in Congress aren’t popular (-12 at 38/50) their approval rating is a net 48 points better than their Republican counterparts (-60 at 15/75). The Republicans in Congress have only a 25/61 approval rating even with the GOP base, suggesting the
potential for 2014 to bring a lot of primary challenges.
The considerably higher esteem the Democrats in Congress have compared to the Republicans is extending to our early generic ballot polling for 2014- 47% of voters say they’d support the Democratic candidate for the House from their district if there was an election today to 41% who say they would vote for the GOP nominee.
PPP surveyed 1,100 registered voters from January 3rd to 6th. The margin of error is +/-3.0%. 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 …………………………………………………. 51%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 46%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 4%
Q2 Do you support or oppose the fiscal cliff deal
Congress passed this week?
Support ………………………………………………….. 39%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%
Q3 Who do you think won the debate over the
fiscal cliff: the Democrats or the Republicans,
or do you think it was a tie?
Democrats ……………………………………………… 52%
Republicans ……………………………………………. 15%
Tie…………………………………………………………. 26%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 8%
Q4 Do you approve or disapprove of the job
Congressional Democrats are doing?
Approve …………………………………………………. 38%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 50%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%
Q5 Do you approve or disapprove of the job
Congressional Republicans are doing?
Approve …………………………………………………. 15%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 75%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q6 Do you approve or disapprove of the job the
House of Representatives is doing?
Approve …………………………………………………. 15%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 69%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%
Q7 If there was an election for the House today,
would you vote for the Democratic or
Republican candidate from your district?
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 47%
Republican……………………………………………… 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%
Q8 Do you approve or disapprove of the job the
Senate is doing?
Approve …………………………………………………. 28%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 56%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%
Q9 Do you approve or disapprove of the job
Congress as a whole is doing?
Approve …………………………………………………. 7%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 81%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%
Q10 Do you have a higher opinion of the House or
the Senate?
House ……………………………………………………. 27%
Senate …………………………………………………… 38%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 35%
Q11 Do you approve or disapprove of the job John
Boehner is doing?
Approve …………………………………………………. 21%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 60%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%
Q12 Do you approve or disapprove of the job Nancy
Pelosi is doing?
Approve …………………………………………………. 34%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 55%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%
Q13 Do you approve or disapprove of the job Harry
Reid is doing?
Approve …………………………………………………. 30%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 46%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 24%
Q14 Do you approve or disapprove of the job Mitch
McConnell is doing?
Approve …………………………………………………. 24%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 46%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 30%
Q15 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the National Rifle Association?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 42%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 45%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%
Q16 Would you support or oppose putting armed
police officers in every school in the country?
Support ………………………………………………….. 41%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 50%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%
Q17 Would you support or oppose providing
teachers with guns?
Support ………………………………………………….. 27%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 64%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%
Q18 Would you support or oppose Congress
passing stricter gun laws?
Support ………………………………………………….. 53%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 8%
Q19 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mitt Romney?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 40%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 51%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q20 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Chris Christie?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 51%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 23%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 26%
Q21 In the last presidential election, did you vote for
Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 50%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 42%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 7%
Q22 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 13%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 17%
Moderate………………………………………………… 29%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 24%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 16%
Q23 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 52%
Man……………………………………………………….. 48%
Q24 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 ……………………………………………….. 43%
Republican……………………………………………… 34%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 23%
Q25 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 10%
White …………………………………………………….. 72%
African-American …………………………………….. 10%
Other……………………………………………………… 7%
Q26 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………………………………………………….. 15%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 28%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 37%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
Q27 Do you or anyone in your household own any
guns, or not?
Yes………………………………………………………… 42%
No …………………………………………………………. 58%
