Raleigh, N.C. – Barack Obama
continues to lead Mitt Romney in the state where Romney was Governor from
2003-2007. The President holds a 55-39 lead over Romney in Massachusetts, numbers
completely unchanged from PPP’s last poll of the state in June.
Voters in Massachusetts simply like Obama better than Romney. Obama’s job
approval rating sits at 55% approval and 41% disapproval. By contrast only 39%
of voters have a favorable view of Mitt Romney while 55% have an unfavorable
view. Voters also have a disapproving view of the work Romney did while
Governor of the Bay State – 42% say they approve of it and 46% disapprove.
Additionally, a full 2/3 of voters – 66% – say they do not consider Romney to
be a Bay Stater while just 23% do. 51% say Deval Patrick was a better Governor
of Massachusetts and 42% choose Romney.
Joe Biden isn’t quite as popular as the President but he’s still doing
better than newly-minted Romney running mate Paul Ryan. Biden holds a 46%
favorable, 43% unfavorable rating while Paul Ryan is seen favorably by just 37%
of voters and unfavorably by 49%. And
when asked who they would vote for if they could vote directly for Vice
President, Biden holds almost as wide a lead – 51% to 39% – over Ryan as Obama does over Romney. Just 28%
of voters support Ryan’s plan to reform Medicare while 53% oppose it.
“Mitt Romney continues not to see much of a home state advantage in
Massachusetts,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “He won’t
lose by as much as John McCain did in 2008, but it’s not going to be close
either.”
Looking at some statewide initaitives, voters support Question 2, allowing
physician-assisted suicide, by a 58%-24% margin. They also support Question 3,
allowing for the decriminalization of marijuana for medical purposes, 58%-27%. Voters
also narrowly support the state sending voter registration forms to welfare
recipients, 43%-40%.
Deval Patrick (49%-40%) and John Kerry (50%-38%) both see positive job
approval ratings.
PPP surveyed 1,115 likely Massachusetts voters from
August 16th to 19th. The margin of error for the survey
is +/-2.9%. 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 …………………………………………………. 55%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 4%
Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mitt Romney?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 39%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 55%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%
Q3 If the candidates for President this year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt
Romney, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 55%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 39%
Undecided………………………………………………. 6%
Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Joe Biden?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 46%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 43%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Paul Ryan?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 37%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 49%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%
Q6 If you were allowed to vote directly for Vice
President, would you choose Democrat Joe
Biden or Republican Paul Ryan?
Joe Biden……………………………………………….. 51%
Paul Ryan ………………………………………………. 39%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q7 Question 2 would allow a physician licensed in
Massachusetts to prescribe medication, at the
request of a terminally ill patient meeting
certain conditions, to end that person’s life. If
the election was today, would you vote yes or
no on Question 2?
Yes………………………………………………………… 58%
No …………………………………………………………. 24%
Undecided………………………………………………. 18%
Q8 Question 3 would eliminate state criminal and
civil penalties for the medical use of marijuana
by qualifying patients. If the election was today,
would you vote yes or no on Question 3?
Yes………………………………………………………… 58%
No …………………………………………………………. 27%
Undecided………………………………………………. 15%
Q9 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor
Deval Patrick’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 49%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%
Q10 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator John
Kerry’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 50%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 38%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%
Q11 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 …………………………………………………. 42%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 46%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%
Q12 Do you consider Mitt Romney to be a Bay
Stater, or not?
He is ……………………………………………………… 23%
He is not…………………………………………………. 66%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%
Q13 Do you support or oppose Paul Ryan’s
proposal for reforming Medicare?
Support ………………………………………………….. 28%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 53%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%
Q14 Who do you think was a better Governor of
Massachusetts: Mitt Romney or Deval Patrick?
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 42%
Deval Patrick…………………………………………… 51%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 8%
Q15 Do you support or oppose the state of
Massachusetts sending voter registration forms
to welfare recipients?
Support ………………………………………………….. 43%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%
Q16 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 33%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 58%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 8%
Q17 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 13%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 23%
Moderate………………………………………………… 35%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 22%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 7%
Q18 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 52%
Man……………………………………………………….. 48%
Q19 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 ……………………………………………….. 38%
Republican……………………………………………… 15%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 48%
Q20 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 87%
Other……………………………………………………… 13%
Q21 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………………………………………………….. 17%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 25%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 40%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 18%
