Raleigh, N.C. – Unlike Republican primary participants, most American voters tend to believe the sexual harassment allegations lodged against Herman Cain. 42% believe they are mostly true, and 35% mostly untrue, a sharp contrast to Republicans’ 24-54 in yesterday’s release. As such, Cain’s favorability rating with all voters has dipped 18 points on the margin from 37-36 in PPP’s national poll last month to 36-53 in the latest survey. But despite their weakening personal view of him, the general electorate has actually not receded in their level of support for Cain against President Obama. He trailed 48-42 last month, and that has hardly fallen to 48-41 now.
Just as in the primary, Newt Gingrich has seen his fortunes rise. His net favorability is up 15 points to 39-50, and he trails Obama by only six points (49-43), versus 11 last month.
Cain is not the only one whose personal popularity has slipped since last month. Mitt Romney’s favorability rating is down eight points from 37-43 to 36-50, and his standing against Obama has dropped from a tie in October to a three-point (46-43) deficit now.
After his latest in a string of debate gaffes, Rick Perry’s favorability spread is down 15 points to a miserable 18-67, and he trails 49-39, hardly different than last month’s 49-40. Ron Paul and Michele Bachmann have both seen modest upticks in their personal and horserace numbers. Paul lags the president by six points now (47-41), versus eight in the last poll. Bachmann is down 11 (50-39), versus 12.
As for the president, his approval rating nationwide is unchanged over the last month—45% approved and 51% disapproved both then and now.
“This is one of Barack Obama’s better performances in our polling in recent months,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “It’s only the second time since June we’ve found him with a lead over Mitt Romney.”
PPP surveyed 800 American voters from November 10th to 13th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-3.5%. 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 …………………………………………………. 45%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 51%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 4%
Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Michele Bachmann?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 30%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 52%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Herman Cain?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 36%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 53%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%
Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Newt Gingrich?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 39%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 50%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%
Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Ron Paul?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 26%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 56%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Rick Perry?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 18%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 67%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%
Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mitt Romney?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 36%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 50%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%
Q8 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican
Michele Bachmann, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 50%
Michele Bachmann ………………………………….. 39%
Undecided………………………………………………. 11%
Q9 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican
Herman Cain, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 48%
Herman Cain…………………………………………… 41%
Undecided………………………………………………. 11%
Q10 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican
Newt Gingrich, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 49%
Newt Gingrich …………………………………………. 43%
Undecided………………………………………………. 8%
Q11 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Ron
Paul, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 47%
Ron Paul ………………………………………………… 41%
Undecided………………………………………………. 13%
Q12 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Rick
Perry, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 49%
Rick Perry ………………………………………………. 39%
Undecided………………………………………………. 11%
Q13 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt
Romney, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 46%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 43%
Undecided………………………………………………. 11%
Q14 Do you think allegations of sexual harassment
against Herman Cain that came out this week
are mostly true or false?
Mostly true ……………………………………………… 42%
Mostly false…………………………………………….. 35%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 23%
Q15 Is your opinion of Herman Cain now more
positive, more negative, or unchanged from
what it was before these allegations came out?
More positive ………………………………………….. 10%
More negative…………………………………………. 34%
Unchanged …………………………………………….. 54%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 2%
Q16 Do you think that the media’s treatment of
Herman Cain this week has been mostly fair or
unfair?
Mostly fair ………………………………………………. 46%
Mostly unfair …………………………………………… 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%
Q17 Do you think that Herman Cain should stay in
the Presidential race, or do you think he should
drop out?
Should stay in the race …………………………….. 52%
Should drop out ………………………………………. 35%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%
Q18 Who do you think is most responsible for the
allegations against Herman Cain coming to
light this week: the Obama campaign, one of
the other Republican campaigns, or the
media?
The Obama campaign ……………………………… 19%
One of the other Republican campaigns……… 27%
The media………………………………………………. 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%
Q19 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 12%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 15%
Moderate………………………………………………… 31%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 24%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 19%
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 ……………………………………………….. 41%
Republican……………………………………………… 36%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 23%
Q22 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 10%
White …………………………………………………….. 73%
African-American …………………………………….. 11%
Other……………………………………………………… 5%
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………………………………………………….. 28%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 40%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
