Raleigh, N.C. – In its latest national poll, in the first of a three-part series, PPP asked American voters how they feel about 17 different states. Of this first bunch, Texas is the most polarizing—it has both the highest favorability and highest unfavorability rating. Pennsylvania matches Texas in favor and has much less disfavor, making it the most popular. The least liked are Illinois and Mississippi, two of only three (along with Utah) which more voters see negatively than positively.
Ranked in terms of pure favorability rating, the most beloved states are: Pennsylvania and Texas (40%), Arizona (39%), Massachusetts (35%), Indiana, Maryland, and Georgia (31%), Idaho and New Mexico (30%), Minnesota and Alabama (27%), Rhode Island (26%), Arkansas (25%), Louisiana and Utah (24%), Mississippi (22%), and Illinois (19%). Pennsylvania is also the least disliked in the group, with 11% seeing it unfavorably, the same for Idaho. The most disliked is Texas (31%). Between them are Indiana (12%), Maryland and New Mexico (15%), Rhode Island (16%), Minnesota (17%), Georgia and Arkansas (20%), Arizona (22%), Louisiana (24%), Alabama (26%), Massachusetts and Utah (27%), Mississippi (28%), and Illinois (29%).
It is no surprise, then, that Pennsylvania has the highest net favorability rating, at +29, followed distantly by Indiana’s and Idaho’s +19, Arizona’s +17, Maryland’s +16, New Mexico’s +15, Georgia’s +11, Minnesota’s and Rhode Island’s +10, Texas’ +9, Massachusetts’ +8, Arkansas’ +5, Alabama’s +1, Louisiana’s 0, Utah’s -3, Mississippi’s -6, and Illinois’ -10.
In terms of the states about which the most voters have an opinion one way or another, Texas leads by far, at 71%. That is followed by Massachusetts (62%), Arizona (61%), Alabama (53%), Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Utah (51%), Mississippi (50%), Louisiana and Illinois (48%), Maryland (46%), New Mexico and Arkansas (45%), Minnesota (44%), Indiana (43%), Rhode Island (42%), and Idaho (41%).
PPP surveyed 700 American voters from October 7th to 10th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-3.7%. 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 have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Illinois?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 19%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 29%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 52%
Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Minnesota?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 27%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 17%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 56%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Georgia?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 31%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 20%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 49%
Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Texas?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 40%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 31%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 29%
Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Massachusetts?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 35%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 27%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 38%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Arkansas?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 25%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 20%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 55%
Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Utah?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 24%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 27%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 50%
Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of New Mexico?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 30%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 15%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 56%
Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Louisiana?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 24%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 24%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 52%
Q10 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Pennsylvania?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 40%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 11%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 49%
Q11 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Maryland?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 31%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 15%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 54%
Q12 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Rhode Island?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 26%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 16%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 58%
Q13 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Indiana?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 31%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 12%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 57%
Q14 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Alabama?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 27%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 26%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 47%
Q15 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Idaho?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 30%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 11%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 58%
Q16 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Mississippi?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 22%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 28%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 50%
Q17 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the state of Arizona?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 39%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 22%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 39%
Q18 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 10%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 19%
Moderate………………………………………………… 30%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 26%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 15%
Q19 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 53%
Man……………………………………………………….. 47%
Q20 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……………………………………………… 35%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 24%
Q21 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 8%
White …………………………………………………….. 74%
African-American …………………………………….. 12%
Other……………………………………………………… 6%
Q22 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………………………………………………….. 26%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 41%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 21%
