State and National Public Survey, January 1998

January 1, 1998

January 24-25, 1998
N=414 Registered Voters
Margin of Error: +/-5 %

If the election for the first congressional district were held today, would you vote for the Republican Nancy Mayer or Democrat Patrick Kennedy? 30% Mayer, 51% Kennedy, 19% don't know or no answer (first district only)

If the election for the first congressional district were held today, would you vote for the Republican Ron Santa or Democrat Patrick Kennedy? 21% Santa, 60% Kennedy, 19% don't know or no answer (first district only)

If the election for governor were held today, would you vote for the Republican Lincoln Almond, Democrat Myrth York, or Cool Moose Robert Healey? 35% Almond, 37% York, 9% Healey, 19% don't know or no answer

If the election for governor were held today, would you vote for the Republican Lincoln Almond, Democrat Richard Oster, or Cool Moose Robert Healey? 39% Almond, 18% Oster, 12% Healey, 31% don't know or no answer

If the election for lieutenant governor were held today, would you vote for the Republican
Bernard Jackvony or Democrat Charles Fogarty? 21% Jackvony, 37% Fogarty, 42% don't know or no answer

If the election for lieutenant governor were held today, would you vote for the Republican
Bernard Jackvony or Democrat David Cicilline? 24% Jackvony, 32% Cicilline, 44% don't know or no answer

If the election for attorney-general were held today, would you vote for the Republican
Jeff Pine or Democrat Eva Mancuso? 59% Pine, 28% Mancuso, 13% don't know or no answer

If the election for attorney-general were held today, would you vote for the Republican
Jeff Pine or Democrat Bill Guglietta? 62% Pine, 18% Guglietta, 20% don't know or no answer

If the election for treasurer were held today, would you vote for the Republican
Christine Callahan or Democrat Paul Tavares? 28% Callahan, 28% Tavares, 44% don't know or no answer

If the election for treasurer were held today, would you vote for the Republican
Jim Bennett or Democrat Paul Tavares? 18% Bennett, 32% Tavares, 50% don't know or no answer

We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. Would you say that you (and your family living there) are: 45% better off, 21% worse off financially than you were a year ago, 34% don't know or no answer

Now looking ahead--do you think that a year from now you (and your family living there) will be: 35% better off financially, 6% worse off, 52% just about the same as now, 7% don't know or no answer

Now turning to business conditions in the state as a whole--do you think that during the next twelve months we'll have: 53% good times financially, 19% bad times, 28% don't know or no answer

Looking ahead, which would you say is more likely--that in the state as a whole: 47% we'll have continuous good times during the next five years or so, 32% that we will have periods of widespread unemployment or depression, or what, 21% don't know or no answer

About the big things people buy for their homes--such as furniture, a refrigerator, stove, television, and things like that. Generally speaking, do you think now is a: 71% good, 10% bad time for people to buy major household items, 19% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Bill Clinton is doing as president? 13% excellent, 46% good, 24% only fair, 14% poor, 3% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job John Chafee is doing as U.S. Senator? 13% excellent, 49% good, 28% only fair, 6% poor, 4% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jack Reed is doing as U.S. Senator? 17% excellent, 50% good, 17% only fair, 5% poor, 11% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Patrick Kennedy is doing as U.S. Representative? 10% excellent, 43% good, 23% only fair, 15% poor, 9% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Robert Weygand is doing as U.S. Representative? 8% excellent, 41% good, 21% only fair, 3% poor, 27% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Lincoln Almond is doing as governor? 7% excellent, 36% good, 36% only fair, 16% poor, 5% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Bernard Jackvony is doing as lieutenant governor? 3% excellent, 25% good, 24% only fair, 4% poor, 44% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jeff Pine is doing as attorney general? 15% excellent, 49% good, 19% only fair, 10% poor, 7% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jim Langevin is doing as secretary of state? 14% excellent, 40% good, 14% only fair, 2% poor, 30% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Nancy Mayer is doing as general treasurer? 15% excellent, 53% good, 13% only fair, 4% poor, 15% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job John Harwood is doing as Speaker of the House? 2% excellent, 24% good, 23% only fair, 9% poor, 42% don't know or no answer

How would you rate the job Paul Kelly is doing as Senate Majority Leader? 3% excellent, 28% good, 22% only fair, 9% poor, 38% don't know or no answer

Generally speaking, would you say things in Rhode Island are going in the right direction, or have they gotten off on the wrong track? 63% right direction, 26% wrong track, 11% don't know or no answer

As far as you are concerned, what is the most important problem facing the state of Rhode Island today? responses coded as: 23% jobs and unemployment, 10% education, 7% ethics and corruption, 6% taxes, 6% budget and government finances, 5% the economy, 4% politics and politicians, and 4% business climate. All other items named were under 3%

Do you favor or oppose the death penalty for persons convicted of murder? 49% favor, 34% oppose, 17% don't know or no answer

Regardless of how you vote, do you usually think of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, or something else? 11% Republican, 29% Democrat, 53% Independent, 4% Other, 3% don't know or no answer