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July 2012 Edition: Purple
July 2012 Edition: Purple
PURPLE INSIGHTS
PURPLE OVERALL
PURPLEPOLL
July 2012
OVERALL:
Obama Job
Approve: 46% Disapprove: 49% Not sure: 4%
Romney Favorability
Favorable: 41% Unfavorable: 49% Not sure: 10%
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PURPLE ANALYSIS
PURPLEPOLL
Obama maintains a steady lead in Purple States, but continues to fall short of a majority. Voters views about the economy are the strongest predictors of their vote choice even more so than partisanship. In our latest poll, we see no shift in President Obamas performance against Mitt Romney. Today, Obama leads Romney 47% to 45% across the Purple States, the same 2-point lead as in June (48% to 46%). The race is also steady among independents across these states. Romney retains a 5-point lead among this key swing constituency (47% to 42%), essentially unchanged from his 6-point lead in June. The gender gap also continues: Romney leads by 8 points among men (50% to 42%), while Obama leads by 11 among women (52% to 41%). Voters concerns about the economy continue to loom large, and their outlook is becoming gloomier. Just 28% of voters believe that the economy is getting better, a decline of 8 points from April. Forty-two percent (42%) believe that the economy is getting worse, up 7 points from April.
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July 2012
The impact of voters perception of the economy on their presidential choice is dramatic. Among those who believe the economy is getting better, 93% support Obama, 4% favor Romney. And among those who say it is getting worse, Romney leads Obama 84% to 7%. Indeed, this question is now more predictive of vote choice than any other question we ask including partisanship. Purple Predictor States: Ohio swings back to Obama, Romney leads in Florida, and Colorado and Virginia remain as tight as can be. Ohio has moved from one side to the other and back in our recent polling. In April, we showed President Obama with a 5-point lead. Last month, Mitt Romney held a 3-point lead. And today, we show President Obama taking a 3-point lead in this critical state (48% to 45%). This edge is fueled by independents, among whom he leads by 7 points (47% to 40%), as well as women (52% to 40%). Importantly, Romneys favorability level is low in Ohio 37% have a favorable view, while a majority (50%) has an unfavorable view. President Obamas job performance is also underwater there (46% positive/49% negative), but not to the same extent as Romneys personal image.
Mitt Romney maintains a small but steady advantage in Florida, currently holding a 3-point lead over President Obama. He leads by a substantial margin among independents (51% to 41%). In all four Purple States we have singled out, a gender gap exists, showing up most strongly in Ohio. Not surprisingly, Obama comes out on top in Ohio and Virginia where his margin among women is higher than his deficit among men (it is even in Colorado), and Romney enjoys a robust advantage among male voters in Florida for the time being (54% to 37%). Virginia considered critical to both the Romney and Obama campaign tilts slightly toward Obama at this stage (46% to 44%). Obama also has the slightest edge in Colorado (45% to 44%). Importantly, independent voters in both states lean toward Romney by 6 points. Clearly, these Purple Predictor States remain up for grabs. The content of negative messaging from the campaigns divides Purple State voters evenly between the candidates. With the campaign taking a turn for the negative over the past week, we tested which of the attacks is better able to attract voters. We asked voters whether they agreed more with the Romney attack that President Obama is a failure for his inability to create jobs or reduce the decit, or with the Obama attack that because Romney outsourced American jobs while holding millions in offshore accounts, Romney is too out of touch (see p. 11 for exact wording).
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PURPLEPOLL
POLL@PURPLESTRATEGIES.COM
PURPLEPOLL
July 2012
Across Purple States, voters are evenly divided: 44% side with each. Among independents, Romneys argument has a 5-point advantage, 47% to 42%. In the Purple Predictor States, Obamas argument has a slight advantage in Colorado (+1), Virginia (+2), and Ohio (+1), while Romneys argument carries the day in Florida (+9). As the negative messages accelerate and voters learn more, we will continue to explore how voters are receiving this information, and the implications that it will have for their eventual voting decisions. At the same time, the impact of the total negative information flow indicates an advantage for Obama. Voters claim to be receiving new information about the candidates on a regular basis. Sixty percent (60%) of Purple State voters say they have heard new information about Obama within the past week, compared to 62% for Romney. Importantly, that new information is largely negative for both candidates. Forty percent (40%) say new information is making them less favorable towards Obama, while 38% say the same about Romney. However, Obama ekes out a 7-point advantage on the percent saying the new information is making them more favorable (33% to Romneys 26%). Considering that both candidates are underwater, though, neither candidate is winning the information fight.
Whether theyve heard news about Obama or Romney, undecided voters are unmoved. Forty-two percent (42%) of them say the news they heard had no impact on their view of Obama, and 43% say the same about Romney. While there is a higher percentage of undecided voters saying the news has made them less favorable towards Obama (41%), Romney is underwater as well, with enough undecideds to tip the scale who are unsure of what to make of the information theyre hearing (11%). Obama is Apple and the family dog, Romney is BMW and Microsoft. But whos the snake? To get a different perspective on voters beliefs about the candidates, we asked them to decide which candidate seemed more like a particular company or animal from respective lists. We asked about two leading technology companies: Microsoft and Apple. By an 8-point margin, Purple State voters associate President Obama with Apple. By contrast, voters associated Romney with Microsoft by a 7-point margin. Governor Romney was far more likely to be associated with BMW than President Obama (by 23 points). Not surprisingly, given the auto bailout, President Obama is more closely related to GM (by 33 points).
President Obamas athletic streak showed through when voters were asked about Nike: by 16 points, they believe he is more like Nike than Romney. Purple State voters are more evenly divided about which candidate more closely resembles common animals. President Obama is seen as closer to the family dog (by 4 points), but independent voters connect Romney by 5 points. Obama is closer to a cat. But which candidate is the snake? Its a split decision. Overall, Purple State voters believe that Romney is more like a snake by a small 2-point margin. But theres a 9-point swing among independents, who believe that President Obama is the snake in the race (by 7 points). With months of negative ads ahead of us, theres plenty of room for movement on both sides.
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PURPLEPOLL
July 2012
Colorado
Obama Job
Approve: 45% Disapprove: 51% Not sure: 4%
Virginia
Hearing something new about Obama made you
More favorable: 31% Less favorable: 42% No impact: 25% Not sure: 1%
Obama Job
Approve: 45% Disapprove: 50% Not sure: 5%
Romney Favorability
Favorable: 37% Unfavorable: 55% Not sure: 9%
PURPLEPOLL
PURPLEPOLL
July 2012
Ohio
Obama Job
Approve: 46% Disapprove: 49% Not sure: 5%
Florida
Hearing something new about Obama made you
More favorable: 31% Less favorable: 40% No impact: 28% Not sure: 1%
Obama Job
Approve: 43% Disapprove: 54% Not sure: 3%
Romney Favorability
Favorable: 37% Unfavorable: 50% Not sure: 13%
PURPLEPOLL
PURPLE OVERALL
The Wild West: Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico The Heartland: Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin The Rust Belt: New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania The Southern Swing: Florida, North Carolina, Virginia
PURPLEPOLL
July 2012
PURPLE TRACKING
Direction of Economy
50%
40%
37% 36%
39%
53%
52%
53%
50% 45%
50% 44%
50% 46%
49% 46%
30%
35%
41%
41%
41%
20%
10%
Same
0%
Feb. 11
Mar. 12
Apr. 12
July 12
Romney Favorability
60% 50%
57%
50%
46% 43%
45% 45%
47% 43%
46% 44%
47% 43%
48% 44%
48% 44%
48% 46%
47% 45%
40%
32%
29%
30%
27%
29%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Sep. 11
Nov. 11
Dec. 11 Jan. 12
Feb. 12
Mar. 12
Apr. 12
Jun. 12
July 12
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PURPLEPOLL
July 2012
July 2012 Main Questionnaire % % % % % %
Region
By State
Gender
Male Female GOP
Party
Ind
40 54 6 42 47 11 42 47 11 23 46 29 1 40 19 13 15 12 26 44 28 1
Education
Dem Non-Coll Coll+
86 10 4 11 81 9 87 8 5 52 12 34 2 50 18 11 9 13 64 9 25 2 44 51 4 43 47 10 46 48 7 25 44 29 2 40 17 13 14 16 32 42 25 1 48 48 4 41 50 9 49 44 7 31 39 29 1 47 16 12 15 9 33 40 26 1
41 55 4 47 45 8 42 50 8 26 45 28 1 44 16 14 16 10 27 46 26 1
50 45 5 37 52 12 52 41 7 29 39 30 2 42 18 11 13 15 37 36 25 2
10 87 3 77 14 9 9 85 6 7 70 22 1 39 14 13 20 14 7 70 22 1
Obama
47 45 8 28 42 29 1 43 17 12 15 13 33 40 25 1
Obama v. Romney
Getting better Direction of the Getting worse Staying about the same Economy Not sure In the last several days In the last week Last heard something new A few weeks ago about Obama Over a month ago Not sure More favorable Less favorable No impact Not sure
Fielded 7/9-7/13, using automated telephone interviews and RDD sample. Total weighted N size=2412 likely voters, margin of error +/-1.6. Each regional and state-level sample has margins of error of +/-4.0. Sample size for OH, FL, VA and CO is 600 per state.
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PURPLEPOLL
July 2012
July 2012 Main Questionnaire % % % % % %
Region
By State
Gender
Male Female GOP
Party
Ind
45 20 16 10 9 24 36 38 2
Education
Dem Non-Coll Coll+
43 17 13 11 16 7 64 27 2 39 20 16 9 16 28 36 34 2 49 18 16 11 7 25 40 33 2
In the last several days In the last week Last heard something new A few weeks ago about Romney Over a month ago Not sure More favorable Less favorable No impact Not sure
43 19 16 10 12 26 38 34 2
45 17 16 12 10 25 37 36 1
45 19 14 11 12 24 40 34 2
43 21 15 10 11 23 38 36 3
44 18 16 12 11 29 35 33 3
49 15 15 12 9 23 42 34 1
45 16 16 11 12 27 37 33 3
44 20 15 10 11 22 38 38 2
46 19 15 11 8 32 33 34 1
47 19 14 11 10 30 35 33 1
41 19 17 10 14 23 40 34 3
43 20 17 9 11 52 10 36 2
Obama is unable improve the economy Romney couldnt do a better job improving the economy Not sure Obama is a failure as president Romney is too out of touch to be president Not sure
46 45 9
49 44 8
42 51 7
47 46 7
49 42 10
46 45 8
47 43 10
45 46 9
50 40 10
51 41 8
42 48 10
76 13 11
49 43 8
17 76 7
48 42 10
44 49 7
44 44 12
47 41 12
42 46 12
45 45 11
46 42 14
44 45 12
42 44 14
45 46 9
50 41 9
49 39 12
40 48 12
79 10 11
47 42 11
10 78 12
46 42 12
44 46 10
Fielded 7/9-7/13, using automated telephone interviews and RDD sample. Total weighted N size=2412 likely voters, margin of error +/-1.6. Each regional and state-level sample has margins of error of +/-4.0. Sample size for OH, FL, VA and CO is 600 per state.
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PURPLEPOLL
July 2012
COLORADO
Approve
%
45 51 4 37 55 9 45 44 11 30 42 27 1
%
48 48 5 42 50 7 48 46 5 -
%
43 53 4 36 51 14 47 47 6 37 35 26 1
Gender
Male Female GOP
39 57 4 43 49 8 40 52 9 27 48 25 0 49 47 4 32 59 9 50 38 12 32 37 29 2
Party
Ind
40 55 5 36 55 9 39 45 16 25 45 30 0
Education
Dem Non- Coll Coll+
85 14 1 7 85 8 87 8 4 60 11 28 1 41 55 5 35 52 13 41 48 11 25 40 33 1 48 49 3 39 56 5 49 42 9 33 42 24 1
VIRGINIA
Approve
%
45 50 5 41 49 11 46 44 10 30 41 27 2
%
45 51 5 43 49 8 49 46 5 -
%
45 50 6 36 48 16 48 46 6 39 35 25 1
Gender
Male Female GOP
41 56 3 47 46 7 40 50 10 31 43 24 2 49 44 7 35 52 13 51 39 9 29 39 30 3 16 82 2 78 17 5 9 87 4 10 62 26 2
Party
Ind
40 54 5 39 46 15 39 45 16 25 47 26 2 79 15 6 11 79 10 87 9 4 53 15 31 2
Education
Dem Non- Coll Coll+
46 50 4 41 48 11 46 45 9 26 45 27 3 44 49 6 41 49 10 46 46 8 32 37 30 2
9 87 3
72 22 6 11 81 8 6 70 23 1
Obama Job
Obama Job
Romney Favorability
Romney Favorability
Getting Better
Getting Better
OHIO
Approve
%
46 49 5 37 50 13 48 45 7 33 39 26 2
%
43 52 5 38 48 13 45 48 8 -
%
47 47 5 34 54 12 49 44 7 36 34 29 0
Gender
Male Female GOP
43 52 5 43 42 15 43 51 7 29 41 29 1 48 47 5 32 56 12 52 40 8 36 38 24 2 9 86 5 68 14 18 10 85 5 11 66 23 1
Party
Ind
44 48 8 32 53 15 47 40 13 33 40 26 2 87 10 3 10 84 6 89 6 5 58 12 29 2
Education
Dem Non- Coll Coll+
45 49 6 38 48 14 47 45 8 34 38 27 1 47 50 3 38 49 13 48 46 6 29 44 24 3
FLORIDA
Approve
%
43 54 3 47 46 6 45 48 7 29 46 24 2
%
45 50 5 43 47 11 45 49 6 -
%
46 50 4 45 44 12 45 47 7 33 38 28 1
Gender
Male Female GOP
35 62 3 53 41 5 37 54 9 26 50 23 2 49 47 3 43 50 7 51 44 5 31 42 25 2 15 84 1 76 19 5 14 80 6 10 69 20 0
Party
Ind
36 60 4 48 45 7 41 51 8 25 50 23 3 82 14 4 14 79 7 83 12 5 55 16 28 1
Education
Dem Non- Coll Coll+
42 56 2 50 45 5 43 51 6 25 48 24 2 44 53 3 47 46 7 45 48 7 32 45 22 1
Obama Job
Obama Job
Romney Favorability
Romney Favorability
Getting Better
Getting Better
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PURPLEPOLL
July 2012
7.
When was the last time you heard something new about Mitt Romney? 1) In the last several days 2) In the last week 3) A few weeks ago 4) Over a month ago ago or longer 5) Not sure
8.
Did what you heard most recently about Mitt Romney make you more favorable, less favorable, or have no impact on your view of Mitt Romney? 1) More favorable 2) Less favorable 3) No impact 4) Not sure
9.
Which of the following statements comes closer to your view? 1) You have given up thinking that Barack Obama is going to be able to improve the economy 2) You dont think that Mitt Romney could do a better job improving the economy than Barack Obama. 3) Not sure
10. Which of the following statements comes closer to your view? 1) I wont vote for Barack Obama because he cant create jobs, improve our economy or reduce the decit, and his health care law is all wrong. Hes a failure as president. 2) I wont vote for Mitt Romney because as CEO of Bain Capital he got rich outsourcing American jobs to China and India while putting his millions in offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands. Hes too out of touch to be president. 3) Not sure
PURPLEPOLL
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11
PURPLEPOLL
July 2012
Barack Obama
Mitt Romney
Which candidate seems more like that company, Barack Obama or Mitt Romney? OVERALL
0
ADV.*
ADV.*
INDEPENDENTS
0
22
46
23
26
21
47
55
22
33
27
53
26
41
33
39
35
45
29
16
11
43
31
33
40
7
*slight differences due to rounding
16
31
46
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12
PURPLEPOLL
July 2012
Barack Obama
Mitt Romney
Which candidate seems more like that animal, Barack Obama or Mitt Romney? OVERALL
0
ADV.*
the
ADV.*
INDEPENDENTS
0
42
41
FOX
8
45
37
the
42
38
FAMILY
DOG
38
43
the
CAT
13
41
34
44
31
the
42
45
SNAKE
the
47
40
LION
2
38
38
36
38
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13