It looks like Texas will definitely be one of the states we poll this weekend. Suggestions for good questions beyond the Governor's race would be much appreciated.
Same goes with Maine and West Virginia which also appear to be in the mix. We won't have much trouble filling a California poll if that gets the second slot.
Do you support the expansion of legal gambling in Texas?
ReplyDelete- Yes, including casinos
- Yes, but only at existing horse tracks
- No
Texas has been hemorrhaging potential tax money to Louisiana & Oklahoma's border casinos. With Texas facing an $18 billion deficit for the next budget cycle, this topic should get extensive discussion in the Legislature next year, even as Perry and White both oppose expanded gambling.
Global Warming. Wonder if a conservative state differs from the rest.
ReplyDeletePut in a question regarding Obama vs. generic GOP or vs. specific GOP potential candidates for 2012.
ReplyDeleteFor Texas, do a poll on the 2012 Republican Senatorial primary and/or general election. I would like to know if Micheal Williams is doing any well.
ReplyDeleteMaine has a casino gambling referendum on the ballot this fall as well, so it would be a good question to ask there. The Maine referendum authorizes a casino in Oxford County, in the western part of the state.
ReplyDeleteYou might also ask about charter schools. Maine is one of the few states in the country not to allow charter schools, and it's been a major topic in both the gubernatorial race and the last legislative session.
Downballot statewide races
ReplyDeleteKay Bailey Hutchison vs Michael Williams 2012 Senate
Copy AZ immigration law for TX
Secession
Poll marijuana legalization in both states. In texas poll the secession question (if you haven't polled it already), cause after all Rick Perry wants Texas to seceed. Also poll favorable/unfavorable of Ann Richards and ask whether they would rather have Ann Richards of George W Bush as governor. Can you also include crosstabs for results by zipcode or by region (ex Houston, Dallas, northeast etc.) because Texas is so large. Have fun with these Jensen and don't forget to think out of the box.
ReplyDeleteA generic legislative ballot would be cool. The Republicans have a slim majority in the House, so it's worth seeing if there's any fertile ground for a Democratic takeover.
ReplyDeleteAlso a question on whether Texas should have term limits for Governors would be interesting, given that Rick Perry is already the state's longest serving Governor.
Throw in LG numbers and potential 2012 Senate numbers for Texas. PLEASE do the LG. Comptroller if you have the room but that is not as important. Also ask something to the effect if you think the President is a Christian or not. It would be interesting to see how well educated Texans are on that. As for Maine absolutely do 2012 Senate numbers, and PLEASE do a Republican primary as well as the GE. For WV please do Governor numbers for 2011. I think they have a special gubernatorial election in 2011 if Manchin wins anyway. Throw in some questions about Byrd regarding his legacy, I am sure that would be nice. Make sure and poll House races in both Maine and WV as well. Thanks!!!!
ReplyDeleteI concur with others' desire to see a secession question on the poll. I would also like to know if voters know the difference between Michael Williams and Roger Williams.
ReplyDeleteFor West Virginia, see what the opportunity cost was for Republicans having John Raese as their nominee instead of Shelley Moore Capito.
Poll numbers on historic Democrats. I can't see too much policy significance, but it would be interesting to see what Texans think of Ronald Reagan vs. say JFK or Lyndon Johnson.
ReplyDeleteState income tax, should it be considered in the next legislature.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see a question about the Ag. commish race Staples-Gilbert and RR Commish race with Jeff Weems.
ReplyDeleteI can't think of anything worth polling in Texas.
ReplyDeleteIn Maine, I would poll the 2012 Republican Presidential primary, and perhaps Obama versus the various Republican Presidential hopefuls.
In West Virginia, I'd poll the 2012 GOP Presidential primary, and the race to replace Manchin as Governor.
A more general question I'd like to see if how people feel about President Obama making back-to-school speeches to schoolchildren. Do they think it's a good idea? Would they make it an annual event? Do they suspect that Obama will somehow politicize a speech to schoolchildren?
1. Immigration - favor AZ-type law?
ReplyDelete2. Tea Party v. GOP v. Dem - GOP primary suggests that significant portion of GOP voters may favor Tea Party candidate and create 3-way race.
3. Economy - Tex economy fairing better than most of US but how do Texans few econ future - on right track?
4. Oil/Energy Regulation - Did BP oil spill affect Texans view of need for better safety regs for offshore oil exploration?
1.Generic Congressional Ballot
ReplyDelete2. Obama v. Ron Paul
West Virginia: Governor 2012 with Moore Capito as the Republican. Byrd popularity. How popular was Byrd in 2010? Nobody polled this state after early 2009. House races, if you want. Something about the power of coal & mountaintop removal & global warming in West Virginia.
ReplyDeleteMaine: Olympia Snowe Republican Primary 2012 AND Olympia Snowe general election 2012. Chellie Pingree (ME-01) is a logical Democratic candidate. Ask if Olympia Snowe is liberal, moderate, or conservative of both the Republican primary AND the general electorate. Do the liberal/moderate/conservative for Susan Collins as well. Also ask if Snowe and Collins should change parties to Independents or Democrats. If you are doing a comprehensive 2012 poll, look at support for various bills Snowe and Collins supported.
Just to let you know, Hurricane Earl is supposed to hit this weekend and that could impact Maine polling.
ReplyDeleteFor both TX and ME: Do you think Obama is a Muslim? Let's see who's crazier, New Englanders or Texans.
ReplyDeleteAnother user pointed out that Hurricane Earl is hitting this weekend and it is also worth pointing out that this is holiday Weekend. Will you wait until Tuesday to poll or go for it over this weekend? It does not seem wise to poll over a holiday. That among other factors likely affected your NY-23 poll. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteTx 17 House race
ReplyDeleteFor Texas: Have the ethics problems of any candidates affected your decicion for whom to vote?
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to poll Independent Eliot Cutler in the Maine gubernatorial race. Why not try a three-way generic ballot for once? Democrat/Republican/Independent?
ReplyDelete"Why not try a three-way generic ballot for once? Democrat/Republican/Independent?"
ReplyDeleteThe strength or even existence of third-party candidacies is so varied depending on the district and each state's rules for ballot access that a lot of people would say they'd vote independent when they wouldn't actually have that option. But except in very few seats that are uncontested, they can always choose between the two major parties.
For Texas, California, and Maine, "What religion do you believe President Obama is? Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Scientologist?" Find out what the regional variations are, as others have suggested. With the question asking what people think his religion is, not asking if they think he's Muslim.
ReplyDeleteAlso for all three, just for the regional differences, approval of marijuana legalization (illegal/medical/legal).
For Maine, Olympia Snowe Republican 2012 primary. If she sees her prospects in the 2012 primary in the toilet, it would be another dramatic shift in this year's races to see if she runs right or switches parties. Also approval both statewide and among Republicans of the Maine Republican Party platform this year. Also, less directly politically, whether Maine residents have bought more, the same, or less alcohol, cigarettes, and consumer goods across the border in New Hampshire over the last two years.
For Texas, approval of the Arizona immigration law, approval of George W. Bush, and hypothetical three-way race with Kinky Friedman jumping in the mix again (this last would be a Very Nonserious Poll).
PPP,
ReplyDeleteDon't waste your time with TX. Perry is going to win, probably fairly easily. Poll the tossup races like KY, NV, MO, WI, WA, CO, or CA.
I agree a poll on the 2012 Republican Senate Primary. You may want to include Dick Armey as a potential candidate.
ReplyDeleteTexas would seem to be ideal for a Tea Party supported republican.
If you are polling for a democrat against Sen Snowe please include Rep Michaud and Former AG Steve Rowe
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to see a question like "Have your political views become more Conservative, more Liberal, or roughly unchanged since 2006 or 2008". It might help track long-term political changes better than election results between different candidates.
ReplyDelete2012 pres. primary:
ReplyDeletePalin/Pawlenty/Romney
Polling in TX:
ReplyDelete1.) Would you like to see an Arizona-like immigration law in TX? (since TX is so large, it might be interesting to compare the valley to everywhere else)
2.) Are you concerned with the $18 billion budget deficit?
3.) Did you vote for Rick Perry in 2002, 2006? Do you plan to vote for him in 2010?
4.) Do you support a third party candidate for governor (green, libertarian)?
5.) Are you concerned about violence in Mexico spilling over into Texas?
6.) Do you think that the Governor spending $10,000 in taxpayer dollars per month for a rental mansion while the official mansion undergoes renovations is too much money?
7.) Should TX institute Voter ID?
8.) Do you support the offshore oil drilling ban?
9.) Do you support term limits for the governor? or Rephrased, Do you support term limits that would restrict the governor to only serving two four-year terms?
10.) Do you think 14 years is too long for one person to serve as governor of Texas?
11.) Do you want to see Rick Perry run for President? or Would you still support Rick Perry if he decided to run for President?
12.) Do you think there is too much power centralized in Austin and not enough local control?
13.) Do you support the politicization of text book curriculum standards by the State Board of Education?
14.) Do you think there should be campaign finance limits?
15.) What is the most important issue to you in this election? (economy/jobs, education, border security, transportation, ethics reform, healthcare, etc.)?
16.) Would you support indexing the gas tax to fund transportation projects?
17.) Would you rather transportation projects be funded with the gas tax or with toll roads?
Don't waste your resources on a question about secession. It's stupid and it would be more informative to ask who thinks Pres. Obama is a Muslim/not born in America.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/09/vacation_contd.html
ReplyDeleteAsk every state whether they support Federal Paid Leave Act
From a Texan Here:
ReplyDelete*Secession
*Legalization of marijuana in context of raising state/local revenue
Maybe a little late for this--three Texas questions to ask:
ReplyDelete1. David Dewhurst vs Hutchinson in a 2012 primary plus GE vs. various Dems.
2. The AG race
3. Should the state Board of Education be allowed to control the content of school textbooks?
Include all third parties in all of these. The Libertarian Party is doing a lot of work in Texas this year. I don't know whether the Greens ended up making the ballot there or not. The Greens are definitely on the ballot in WV, with Jesse Johnson running for them, and I think the Constitution Party might be on the ballot there, too.
ReplyDelete