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TO: FROM:

Interested Parties Kellyanne Conway, President & CEO the polling company, inc./WomanTrend September 19, 2013 Executive Summary from Statewide Survey of 800 Indiana RVs

DATE: RE:

The Republican brand is strong in Indiana. A solid majority of Hoosiers approve of how Governor Mike Pence is handling his job and 51% of Hoosiers think the state is headed in the right direction while only 23% of Hoosiers think the country is headed in the right direction. Governor Pence and policies associated with the Republican Party find favor with Hoosiers. Many are wary about the direction of the nation, the President, and especially the expansive, expensive, and intrusive programs coming out of Washington, D.C., such as the Affordable Care Act. Positive name recognition and robust job approval for Indianas first-term governor, Mike Pence, contributes much of this buoyancy. In less than nine months on the job, Governor Pence has emerged as one of the most well-liked and well-respected governors in the country, with a 60% job approval rating. Hoosiers support for Governor Pences job performance goes hand-in-hand with their agreement with specific Pence Policies comprising his agenda for the state. Education reform initiatives and continuing the Healthy Indiana Plan, featured elements of the Governors Roadmap for Indiana, are very popular among Hoosiers.

DIRECTION OF THE STATE


Hoosiers hold a much more optimistic view of their state than of the nation as a whole. A 51%-majority believe Indiana is headed in the right direction, compared with just 23% who say the country is doing the same. Just 36% of Hoosiers think the state of Indiana is headed off on the wrong track, while a 68%-majority share this view of the country. Voters are reacting positively to the policies coming out of Indianapolisand negatively to the policies coming out of Washington D.C. 47% of self-identified Independents and 43% of self-identified moderates say that Indiana is on the right track, while just 18% of Independents and 33% of moderates express that view toward the country.

the polling company, inc./WomanTrend for the Indiana Republican Party Indiana Statewide Survey Results Executive Summary Released September 2013

Hoosiers also believe that they are better positioned than neighbors in nearby states. Pluralities of 45%+ say that both Indiana overall AND Indianas economy are outperforming their peers living in close proximity. JOB APPROVAL Governor Pence enjoys 60% of Hoosiers saying they approve of the job he is doing after eight months in office. Voters from different beliefs and backgrounds agree, as Pences majority approval spans varied demographic and socioeconomic subgroups. This includes 42% of Democrats and 32% of Hoosiers who did not vote for him in the 2012 election.

Governor Pence Approval By Subgroup


79% 60% 23% 42% 36% 52% 29% 8% ALL RVs Self-ID Dem. Self-ID Ind. Self-ID Rep. 7% 2012 Pence Voters 2012 NonPence Voters Age 55+ Age 55+ Men Women 82% 50% 32% 60% 24% 53% 27%

Total Approve (NET)

Total Disapprove (NET)

Governor Pence Approval By Subgroup


60% 63% 56% 57% 62% 59% 61% 62% 59%

23%

20%

25%

23%

25%

27% 15%

22%

23%

ALL RVs

Men

Women

North Indy Central South Region Region Region Region Total Disapprove (NET)

Age 18- Age 45+ 45

Total Approve (NET)

Notably, Governor Pences resistance to the federal governments push to massively expand Medicaid is not damaging to him among older Hoosiers. A 60%-majority of 55+ year old men as well as a 53%-majority of 55+ year old women give Governor Pence their approval.
the polling company, inc./WomanTrend for the Indiana Republican Party Indiana Statewide Survey Results Executive Summary Released September 2013

Governor Pences approval rating outpaces his peers in neighboring states Indiana & Neighbors: Governor Approval Ratings Governor Mike Pence (IN) John Kasich (OH) Steve Beshear (KY) Rick Snyder (MI) Pat Quinn (IL) Approve 60% 54% 48% 44% 18% Disapprove 23% 32% 31% 38% 51% Poll/Date the polling company, inc. (9/12-15/13) Quinnipiac 1 (6/18-23/13) PPP 2 (4/5-7/13) Lambert, Edwards & Assoc.3 (7/23-24/13) Crains/Ipsos4 (4/13-17/13)

NAME IDENTIFICATION AND FAVORABILITY Pence is aided by an over two-to-one favorability rating (53% favorable to 24% unfavorable). In contrast, President Obamas favorability is under water (41%-55%).

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http://www.quinnipiac.edu/institutes-and-centers/polling-institute/ohio/release-detail?ReleaseID=1913 http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/04/democrats-within-striking-distance-of-mitch-mcconnell-for-2014.html http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/07/poll_shows_snyders_approval_ra.html 4 http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130419/BLOGS02/130419753/madigan-leading-quinn-gop-undecided-in-race-forgovernor

the polling company, inc./WomanTrend for the Indiana Republican Party Indiana Statewide Survey Results Executive Summary Released September 2013

POLICY PREFERENCES - EDUCATION Voters in Indiana strongly endorse Governor Pences education reform measures Do you (ROTATE) support or oppose Support Efforts to make career and vocational education a priority in every high school in Indiana. Making college more affordable by focusing the states college funding toward programs that decrease the cost of degree completion. Giving teachers more freedom to teach by focusing on results, driving more dollars in to the classroom and increasing pay for the best teachers. Reforming education to provide families with more options, including high-quality charter schools and vouchers that allow parents to send their children to high-quality private schools. 93% Oppose 3%

83%

10%

78%

15%

55%

39%

Hoosier voters support the states A-to-F grading system. A 59%-majority of Hoosiers prefer adjusting the criteria used to measure each public schools performance, but maintaining the A-to-F grading system. In contrast, 23% support doing away with the Ato-F grading system outright. These data indicate the publics receptiveness to reviewing the A-to-F performance measure urged by statewide leaders including Governor Pence, and a preference for retaining them. Similarly, in a binary question presenting statements from both sides, Hoosiers express skepticism over the Common Core education initiative. Hoosier voters were more likely to share the view that Indiana should not adopt Common Core because educational standards should be set at the local level, rather than a one-size-fits-all policy (58%) rather than believe that the state should adopt Common Core because it will set uniform standards for students in different states across the country (32%). This result bolsters Governor Pences first in the nation effort months ago to hit pause on implementing Common Core. Who should be mostly responsible for establishing education policy here in Indiana? (READ AND ROTATED LIST; ACCEPTED MULTIPLE RESPONSES) 34% THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION 21% THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION 8% THE GOVERNOR 8% THE STATE LEGISLATURE 45% IT SHOULD BE A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY AMONG ALL OF THE LEADERS LISTED ABOVE (ALWAYS READ LAST)

the polling company, inc./WomanTrend for the Indiana Republican Party Indiana Statewide Survey Results Executive Summary Released September 2013

POLICY PREFERENCES HEALTHCARE A majority of Indiana voters are opposed to the Affordable Care Act, whether it is referred to in the survey as federal healthcare reform (56% oppose) or Obamacare (58% oppose). Just 34% support it. Notably, a majority of women, Independents, and young Hoosiers oppose the law. Only 16% (and only a third of Democrats) of Hoosiers believe they and their families will be better off under Obamacare. Hoosiers are three times as likely to say it will leave them worse off (47%), while the other 29% predict it will not make much of a difference. The suspicion and rejection surrounding Obamacare should not be interpreted as a misunderstanding or work-in-progress, either. In a separate question, a solid 58% majority of Hoosiers said that they have a good understanding of the health care law; 36% say they do not. That explains in part the popularity of the Healthy Indiana Plan, a program that began in 2008 and Governor Pences answer to Obamacare for his state. Some 59% of voters surveyed support the Healthy Indiana Plan on its face; a figure that climbs to 64% when respondents are told that just this month, a cost-sharing agreement was reached with the federal government that will extend the Plan in to 2014. Support for the Healthy Indiana Plan includes: 64% of women, 57% of seniors, 74% of black voters, 68% of moderates, 61% of liberals, 62% of Independents, and 69% of Democrats. FINAL WORD Governor Mike Pence has been a forward-thinking and energetic leader for Indiana, and after just eight months in, Hoosier voters approve of his job performance and applaud the direction he is leading the state. His advocacy of popular programs and sensible solutions creates a compelling nexus of support for both him and his ideas, and by extension, the image and health of the state GOP. Methodology Statement the polling company, inc./WomanTrend conducted a telephone survey of 800 registered voters statewide from September 12 - 15, 2013. Surveys were conducted using live interviewers at a Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) facility using a dualframe sample of 85% landline phone numbers and 15% cell phones. The margin is +/3.5% at the 95% confidence level. Quotas were used to ensure proper representation of age, gender, race, and region; the results were not weighted.

the polling company, inc./WomanTrend for the Indiana Republican Party Indiana Statewide Survey Results Executive Summary Released September 2013

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