OCTOBER 2014 TOPLINE RESULTS
RELEASED: OCTOBER
9
TH, 2014
The Reason-Rupe October 2014 Poll interviewed 1,004 adults on both mobile (503) and landline (501) phones, including 276 respondents without landlines, from October 1-6,
2014 from the connental United States and the District of Columbia using live tele
-phone interviews. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.8%. For Form A respondents (n=506), the margin of error is +/- 5.4%. For Form B respondents (n=498), the margin of
error is +/- 5.4%. Princeton Survey Research Associates Internaonal (PSRAI) conducted the survey. Interviews were done in English by Braun Research Incorporated. Stas
-cal results are weighted to correct known demographic discrepancies. When feasible,
answer choices within quesons were rotated or randomized. For more methodological informaon, please visit hp://reason.com/reason-rupe-poll-methodology.The poll quesonnaire, crosstabs, and analysis can be found at reason.com/pollDon’t know and Refused responses are voluntary.Due to rounding, accumulated responses may not total 100%.Responses less than 1% are denoted by a “*”.
 
Page 1 of 12Reason-Rupe Poll | October 2014 | reason.com/poll
1. Generally speaking, would you say things in this country are heading in the right direcon or in the wrong direcon?• Right direcon
 ............................................30%
• Wrong direcon
 ..........................................58%
• Neither (VOL.)
 ...............................................5%
• Don’t Know/Refused
 ....................................7%
• Total
 ..........................................................100%
2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president? • Approve
 ......................................................43%
• Disapprove
..................................................50%
• Don’t Know/Refused
 ....................................6%
• Total
 ..........................................................100%
 Approve Disapprove DK/
RefusedAug 2011 ..........47...................48 .......................5
Dec 2011
 ..........49...................47 .......................5Mar 2012 .........48...................46 .......................5
Sep 2012
 ..........51...................46 .......................4Jan 2013 ...........52...................42 .......................7Feb 2013 ..........51...................43 .......................6
May 2013
 .........50...................43 .......................7
Sep 2013
 ..........43...................51 .......................6
Dec 2013
 ..........47...................50 .......................4Apr 2014 ..........43...................51 .......................6Aug 2014 ..........43...................52 .......................4Oct 2014...........43...................50 .......................6
3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling foreign policy?• Approve
 ......................................................38%
• Disapprove
..................................................51%
• Don’t Know/Refused
 ..................................12%
• Total
 ..........................................................100%
 Approve Disapprove DK/
Refused
Sep 2013
 ..........35...................58 .......................7Aug 2014 ..........37...................53 .......................9Oct 2014...........38...................51 .....................11
4. Would you say President Obama’s handling of foreign policy has been beer or worse than former President George W. Bush’s handling of foreign policy, or are they about the same?• Beer
 ..........................................................35%
• Worse
 .........................................................33%
• Same
 ...........................................................28%
• Don’t Know/Refused
 ....................................5%
• Total
 ..........................................................100%
 Beer Same Worse DK/
 Refused
Sep 2013
 ..........32 ........32 ........32 ....................3Oct 2014...........35 ........28 ........33 ....................4
 
Page 2 of 12Reason-Rupe Poll | October 2014 | reason.com/poll
5. Do you approve or disapprove of the job the U.S. Congress is doing?• Approve
 ......................................................19%
• Disapprove
..................................................73%
• Don’t Know/Refused
 ....................................9%
• Total
 ..........................................................100%
 Approve Disapprove DK/ Refused
Aug 2011 ..........14...................81 ........................5
Dec 2011
 ..........13...................80 ........................7Mar 2012 .........15...................78 ........................6
Sep 2012
 ..........16...................77 ........................8Jan 2013 ...........17...................74 ........................9Feb 2013 ..........14...................77 ........................8
May 2013
 .........16...................75 ........................9
Sep 2013
 ..........22...................72 ........................7
Dec 2013
 ..........20...................74 ........................6Apr 2014 ..........17...................74 ........................8Aug 2014 ..........18...................75 ........................7Oct 2014...........19...................73 ........................9
6. Are you registered to vote in your precinct or elecon district or haven’t you been able to register so far?• Yes, registered
 ............................................80%
• No, not registered
.......................................20%
• Don’t Know/Refused
 ..................................<1%
• Total
 ..........................................................100%
7. If November’s elecon for Congress were held today, which party’s candidate are you more likely to vote for in your district—[RANDOMIZE: Republican, Democrat], or some other party’s candidate? (ASKED OF REGISTERED VOTERS)• Republican Party’s Candidate
 .....................33%
• Democrac Party’s Candidate
 ....................42%
• Some other Party’s Candidate
 ....................13%
• Don’t Know
 .................................................11%
• Refused
 .........................................................1%
• Total
 ..........................................................100%
8. Thinking about the candidate choices you have at dierent levels. [First,/Next,] would you say you are very sased, somewhat sased, somewhat unsased, or very unsased with the [Candidates for House and Senate] (ASKED OF REGISTERED VOTERS)• NET Sased
 ...............................................53%
• Net Dissased
 ...........................................35%
• Very sased
 ................................................9%
• Somewhat sased
 ....................................44%
• Somewhat unsased
 ................................20%
• Very unsased
 ..........................................15%
• Don’t Know/Refused
 ..................................12%
• Total
 ..........................................................100%
9. Thinking about the candidate choices you have at dierent levels. [First,/Next,] would you say you are very sased, somewhat sased, somewhat unsased, or very unsased with the [Candidates for state level oces] (ASKED OF REGISTERED VOTERS)• NET Sased
 ...............................................57%
• Net Dissased
 ...........................................33%
• Very sased
 ..............................................12%
• Somewhat sased
 ....................................45%
• Somewhat unsased
 ................................19%
• Very unsased
 ..........................................14%
• Don’t Know/Refused
 ..................................10%
• Total
 ..........................................................100%
10. Thinking about the candidate choices you have at dierent levels. [First,/Next,] would you say you are very sased, somewhat sased, somewhat unsased, or very unsased with the [Candidates for local-level oces] (ASKED OF REGISTERED VOTERS)• NET Sased
 ...............................................63%
• Net Dissased
 ...........................................26%
• Very sased
 ..............................................18%
• Somewhat sased
 ....................................45%
• Somewhat unsased
 ................................14%
• Very unsased
 ..........................................12%
• Don’t Know/Refused
 ..................................11%
• Total
 ..........................................................100%