Raleigh, N.C. – Barack Obama has drastically improved his approval rating and performance against the Republican field in Massachusetts since last fall and now leads all Republican challengers by 23 points or more, a new poll from Public Policy Polling finds.
Obama leads Newt Gingrich by a whopping 34 points in Massachusetts, 62-28 (up from 58-31 last September); he leads Rick Santorum by 32 points, 61-29; and leads Ron Paul by 28 points, 58-30 (up from 55-30 last September). Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney performs best in a head to head matchup versus Obama but still loses by 23 points, 58-35 (down from 53-40 last September).
The Republican candidates suffer from horrible favorability ratings in Massachusetts – Newt Gingrich is at just 17% favorable and 75% unfavorable (down even further from 21-67 last September), Ron Paul is at 30/59, Mitt Romney is at 37/57 (down from 41/53 last September), and Rick Santorum is at 22/69. Although voters rate Romney poorly now, 48% say that he was a good Governor to 40% who believe he was not.
The President’s approval ratings stands at 57% approval and 38% disapproval in Massachusetts, up sharply from the last time PPP polled the state in September when it was at 49-45. Obama’s approval ratings with independent voters is now nearly even at 46-48, up from last September when it was at 42-53. He’s also improved his standing with Republicans (14-86 now compared to 5-90 last September) and consolidated support with Democrats (84-10 now compared to 74-20 last September).
“Massachusetts voters think Mitt Romney was a good Governor, but they don’t like the person he’s transformed himself into as a Presidential candidate,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “As a result he’s losing his home state by almost as much as John McCain did in 2008.”
PPP surveyed 936 Massachusetts voters from March 16th – 18th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-3.2%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews. PPP is a Democratic polling company, but polling expert Nate Silver of the New York Times found that its surveys in 2010 actually exhibited a slight bias toward Republican candidates.
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 …………………………………………………. 57%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 38%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 5%
Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Newt Gingrich?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 17%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 75%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 8%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Ron Paul?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 30%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 59%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%
Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mitt Romney?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 37%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 57%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 7%
Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Rick Santorum?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 22%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 69%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%
Q6 If the candidates for President this year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican
Newt Gingrich, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 62%
Newt Gingrich …………………………………………. 28%
Undecided………………………………………………. 10%
Q7 If the candidates for President this year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Ron
Paul, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 58%
Ron Paul ………………………………………………… 30%
Undecided………………………………………………. 12%
Q8 If the candidates for President this year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt
Romney, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 58%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 35%
Undecided………………………………………………. 7%
Q9 If the candidates for President this year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Rick
Santorum, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 61%
Rick Santorum………………………………………… 29%
Undecided………………………………………………. 10%
Q10 Regardless of how you feel about him now, do
you approve or disapprove of the work Mitt
Romney did while he was Governor of
Massachusetts?
Approve …………………………………………………. 48%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%
Q11 Do you think Mitt Romney’s campaign for
President has helped Massachusetts’ image,
hurt it, or has it not made a difference?
Helped …………………………………………………… 15%
Hurt……………………………………………………….. 25%
Hasn’t made a difference ………………………….. 59%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 2%
Q12 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 32%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 57%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 11%
Q13 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 11%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 27%
Moderate………………………………………………… 36%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 21%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 5%
Q14 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 49%
Man……………………………………………………….. 51%
Q15 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……………………………………………… 14%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 45%
Q16 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 87%
Other……………………………………………………… 13%
Q17 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………………………………………………….. 13%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 27%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 40%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
