January 14, 2010 - Blumenthal Body Slams Republicans In Connecticut, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Lieberman Approval Plummets Word format Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has 35 to 47-point leads over three Republican candidates for the 2010 U.S. Senate contest, thumping former wrestling executive Linda McMahon 64 - 23 percent, bruising businessman Peter Schiff 66 - 19 percent and smacking former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons 62 - 27 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Simmons tops McMahon 37 - 27 percent in a Republican primary, with 4 percent for Schiff and 28 percent undecided, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Blumenthal, who only announced his candidacy January 6, leads Merrick Alpert in a Democratic primary 82 - 4 percent. In matchups with Republicans, Blumenthal gets 89 to 90 percent of the Democratic voters, 60 to 64 percent of the independent voters and 30 to 38 percent of Republican voters. Connecticut voters approve 84 - 11 percent of the job Blumenthal is doing as attorney general and give him a 74 - 13 percent favorability rating. "Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's job approval is unbelievably high, higher than any other politician we've ever measured, other than former President George W. Bush after 9/11," said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz, PhD. "Rob Simmons must be wondering what happened. In September, prior to McMahon's entry, he was the clear frontrunner for the nomination. He was at 43 percent and no other Republican was in double digits. He also was ahead of Dodd. Now, Simmons is in a real Republican primary race with Linda McMahon and gets destroyed by Blumenthal." Connecticut voters say 82 - 11 percent that Blumenthal has the right kind of experience to be a U.S. Senator; 81 - 9 percent that he is honest and trustworthy and 80 - 12 percent that he cares about their needs and problems. McMahon does not have the right experience to be a Senator, voters say 43 - 24 percent, but she is honest and trustworthy, voters say 35 - 15 percent, and she cares about their needs and problems, voters say 37 - 26 percent. Simmons has the experience, voters say 53 - 16 percent; is honest and trustworthy, voters say 49 - 14 percent, and cares about their needs and problems, voters say 51 - 19 percent. Lieberman, Dodd Approval Connecticut voters disapprove 54 - 39 percent of the job Sen. Joseph Lieberman is doing, one point off his worst grade ever and a steep drop from a 49 - 44 percent approval November 12. Republicans approve 61 - 35 percent while Democrats disapprove 67 - 27 percent and independent voters disapprove 57 - 36 percent. Voters disapprove 58 - 36 percent of the job Sen. Christopher Dodd is doing. Only 12 percent are disappointed Dodd is not seeking reelection, because they think he is doing a good job and another 13 percent are disappointed because a Republican would have a better chance against Dodd. But 38 percent of voters say they are glad, because Dodd is not doing a good job and 27 percent are glad because it gives another Democrat a better chance to win the Senate seat. Connecticut voters approve 64 - 28 percent of the job Gov. Jodi Rell is doing. President Barack Obama gets a 55 -41 percent approval, his lowest ever in Connecticut. "The voters are in an anti-incumbent mood. Connecticut's Senators and President Barack Obama have seen their job approval numbers drop," Dr. Schwartz said. "Sen. Lieberman has suffered the biggest drop - to a low approval rating of 39 percent. Apparently, the national headlines Lieberman made during the health care debate have taken a toll on his popularity." From January 8 - 12, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,430 Connecticut registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points. The survey includes 542 Democrats with a margin of error of +/- 4.2 percentage points and 378 Republicans with a margin of error of +/- 5 percentage points. The Quinnipiac University Poll conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and the nation as a public service and for research. For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter. 1. (If registered Democrat) If the 2010 Democratic primary for United States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Richard Blumenthal and Merrick Alpert, for whom would you vote? REGISTERED DEMS.. Tot Men Wom Blumenthal 82% 87% 79% Alpert 4 7 3 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 1 - 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 2 1 DK/NA 12 5 16 2. (If registered Republican) If the 2010 Republican primary for United States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Rob Simmons, Linda McMahon and Peter Schiff, for whom would you vote? REGISTERED REPS.. Tot Men Wom Simmons 37% 42% 31% McMahon 27 27 28 Schiff 4 4 3 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 2 2 2 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 1 3 DK/NA 28 24 33 TREND: (If registered Republican) If the 2010 Republican primary for United States Senator were being held today and the candidates were Rob Simmons, Linda McMahon and Peter Schiff, for whom would you vote? REGISTERED REPS....................... Jan 14 Nov 12 Sep 17 Jul 23 May 27 2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 Simmons 37 28 43 42 48 McMahon 27 17 na na na Schiff 4 5 2 - na Foley na 9 5 5 na Caligiuri na 4 4 5 10 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 2 - 2 1 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 2 2 1 2 DK/NA 28 36 43 45 39 3. If the 2010 election for United States Senator were being held today, and the candidates were Richard Blumenthal the Democrat and Rob Simmons the Republican, for whom would you vote? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Blumenthal 62% 30% 89% 60% 57% 66% Simmons 27 63 2 28 35 19 SMONE ELSE(VOL) - 1 - - - - WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 1 1 1 1 - 1 DK/NA 10 5 8 11 7 14 4. If the 2010 election for United States Senator were being held today, and the candidates were Richard Blumenthal the Democrat and Linda McMahon the Republican, for whom would you vote? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Blumenthal 64% 36% 89% 62% 60% 68% McMahon 23 54 2 24 30 18 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 1 1 - 2 - 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 1 1 1 1 1 1 DK/NA 11 8 8 11 9 12 5. If the 2010 election for United States Senator were being held today, and the candidates were Richard Blumenthal the Democrat and Peter Schiff the Republican, for whom would you vote? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Blumenthal 66% 38% 90% 64% 62% 70% Schiff 19 46 2 19 25 13 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 1 1 - 1 - 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 1 2 1 1 1 1 DK/NA 14 13 8 15 12 15 6. Is your opinion of - Richard Blumenthal favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 74% 62% 84% 74% 70% 77% Unfavorable 13 29 1 15 20 7 Hvn't hrd enough 12 8 14 10 10 14 REFUSED 1 1 1 1 - 1 TREND: Is your opinion of Richard Blumenthal favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? Jan 14 Feb 10 2010 2009 Favorable 74 71 Unfavorable 13 13 Hvn't hrd enough 12 15 REFUSED 1 2 7. Is your opinion of - Merrick Alpert favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 3% 3% 4% 2% 4% 3% Unfavorable 3 1 5 3 4 3 Hvn't hrd enough 93 94 90 95 91 94 REFUSED 1 2 1 - 1 1 TREND:Is your opinion of Merrick Alpert favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? Jan 14 Nov 12 Sep 17 Jul 23 May 27 2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 Favorable 3 1 2 3 4 Unfavorable 3 3 2 1 2 Hvn't hrd enough 93 96 96 95 93 REFUSED 1 - - 1 1 8. Is your opinion of - Rob Simmons favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 36% 56% 19% 40% 43% 30% Unfavorable 18 9 26 17 17 18 Hvn't hrd enough 45 34 54 40 39 50 REFUSED 2 1 2 2 1 3 TREND: Is your opinion of Rob Simmons favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? Jan 14 Nov 12 Sep 17 Jul 23 May 27 Apr 2 Mar 10 2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 2009 2009 Favorable 36 40 41 39 34 39 36 Unfavorable 18 10 11 12 12 12 10 Hvn't hrd enough 45 49 46 48 53 47 53 REFUSED 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 9. Is your opinion of - Linda McMahon favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about her? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 24% 43% 10% 26% 27% 21% Unfavorable 21 15 32 15 19 22 Hvn't hrd enough 54 42 56 58 53 55 REFUSED 1 - 2 1 1 2 TREND: Is your opinion of Linda McMahon favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about her? Jan 14 Nov 12 2010 2009 Favorable 24 20 Unfavorable 21 13 Hvn't hrd enough 54 66 REFUSED 1 1 10. Is your opinion of - Peter Schiff favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 8% 19% 2% 8% 10% 6% Unfavorable 5 5 6 5 5 6 Hvn't hrd enough 86 75 92 86 84 88 REFUSED 1 1 - 1 1 - TREND: Is your opinion of Peter Schiff favorable, unfavorable, or haven't you heard enough about him? Jan 14 Nov 12 Sep 17 Jul 23 2010 2009 2009 2009 Favorable 8 7 6 7 Unfavorable 5 4 2 3 Hvn't hrd enough 86 88 92 89 REFUSED 1 1 - 1 11. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jodi Rell is handling her job as Governor? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 64% 84% 49% 64% 70% 58% Disapprove 28 14 41 27 26 31 DK/NA 7 2 9 8 4 11 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jodi Rell is handling her job as Governor? APPROVE....... High Low Jan 14 Nov 10 Sep 16 Jul 22 May 27 Jan 13 Sep 16 2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 2005 2009 Approve 64 64 59 65 73 83 59 Disapprove 28 30 34 30 20 3 34 DK/NA 7 6 7 5 7 14 7 12. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 30% 21% 39% 28% 27% 32% Disapprove 58 71 46 61 63 53 DK/NA 13 8 15 11 10 15 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job? APPROVE....... High Low Jan 14 Nov 10 Sep 16 Jul 22 May 9 Jun 3 Jul 31 2010 2009 2009 2009 2007 2004 2003 Approve 30 33 35 39 45 48 29 Disapprove 58 54 55 45 38 33 57 DK/NA 13 13 11 16 17 19 14 13. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Lieberman is handling his job as United States Senator? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 39% 61% 27% 36% 40% 39% Disapprove 54 35 67 57 55 54 DK/NA 6 4 6 7 5 7 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joseph Lieberman is handling his job as United States Senator? APPROVE....... High Low Jan 14 Nov 12 Sep 17 Jul 23 May 27 Sep 21 Dec 17 2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 2000 2008 Approve 39 49 48 46 46 80 38 Disapprove 54 44 45 46 44 14 54 DK/NA 6 8 7 8 10 6 8 14. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Chris Dodd is handling his job as United States Senator? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 36% 10% 62% 28% 32% 38% Disapprove 58 86 31 64 65 53 DK/NA 6 4 7 7 3 9 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Chris Dodd is handling his job as United States Senator? APPROVE....... High Low Jan 14 Nov 12 Sep 17 Jul 23 May 27 Apr 19 Apr 2 2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 2001 2009 Approve 36 40 43 42 38 71 33 Disapprove 58 54 49 52 53 16 58 DK/NA 6 6 8 6 10 13 9 15. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Richard Blumenthal is handling his job as State Attorney General? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 84% 73% 90% 86% 83% 85% Disapprove 11 24 2 11 14 9 DK/NA 5 3 8 3 3 6 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Richard Blumenthal is handling his job as State Attorney General? APPROVE....... High Low Jan 14 Nov 10 Sep 16 Jul 22 May 27 Jan 14 Nov 23 2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 2010 2004 Approve 84 78 78 79 78 84 71 Disapprove 11 13 14 13 9 11 15 DK/NA 5 9 8 8 13 5 13 16. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 55% 21% 86% 49% 48% 61% Disapprove 41 75 12 46 47 35 DK/NA 4 4 2 5 5 4 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President? (*High also 71% Apr 2009) APPROVE....... High Low Jan 14 Nov 12 Sep 17 Jul 23 May 27 May 27 Jan 14 2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 2009* 2010 Approve 55 58 57 63 71 71 55 Disapprove 41 35 36 32 22 22 41 DK/NA 4 7 6 5 7 7 4 17. Which comes closest to your point of view about Senator Dodd's decision to not seek reelection - I'm glad because he wasn't doing a good job, I'm glad because I wanted to see a Democratic candidate who had a better chance of winning the general election, I'm disappointed because he was doing a good job, or I'm disappointed because the Republicans had a better chance of winning if Dodd stayed in the race? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Glad/not good job 38% 53% 19% 45% 43% 34% Glad/wanted Dem with better chance 27 4 54 19 22 31 Disapp/good job 12 5 17 11 10 14 Disapp/Reps had better chance 13 33 3 12 18 9 DK/NA 9 5 7 12 7 12 18. Do you think Linda McMahon has the right kind of experience to be a United States Senator from Connecticut or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 24% 39% 13% 25% 27% 21% No 43 35 52 41 44 42 DK/NA 33 26 35 35 29 37 TREND: Do you think Linda McMahon has the right kind of experience to be a United States Senator from Connecticut or not? Jan 14 Nov 12 2010 2009 Yes 24 25 No 43 34 DK/NA 33 41 19. Would you say that Linda McMahon cares about the needs and problems of people like you or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 37% 59% 20% 41% 40% 35% No 26 16 36 23 27 25 DK/NA 37 25 44 36 33 41 20. Would you say that Linda McMahon is honest and trustworthy or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 35% 52% 20% 39% 40% 31% No 15 15 21 11 16 15 DK/NA 50 33 59 49 45 54 21. Would you say that Linda McMahon has strong leadership qualities or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 38% 53% 23% 42% 41% 35% No 21 15 30 17 22 20 DK/NA 41 32 47 41 37 45 22. Do you think Rob Simmons has the right kind of experience to be a United States Senator from Connecticut or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 53% 65% 43% 58% 61% 46% No 16 13 19 16 16 17 DK/NA 30 22 38 27 23 37 23. Would you say that Rob Simmons cares about the needs and problems of people like you or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 51% 64% 41% 52% 55% 48% No 19 15 23 20 21 18 DK/NA 30 21 37 28 24 34 24. Would you say that Rob Simmons is honest and trustworthy or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 49% 58% 41% 52% 57% 42% No 14 17 14 12 15 14 DK/NA 37 25 44 35 28 44 25. Would you say that Rob Simmons has strong leadership qualities or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 49% 64% 35% 52% 55% 44% No 15 14 20 13 15 16 DK/NA 36 22 45 34 30 41 26. Do you think Richard Blumenthal has the right kind of experience to be a United States Senator from Connecticut or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 82% 68% 90% 84% 80% 83% No 11 25 3 10 16 7 DK/NA 8 7 8 6 4 10 27. Would you say that Richard Blumenthal cares about the needs and problems of people like you or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 80% 70% 90% 80% 78% 82% No 12 25 2 13 17 8 DK/NA 7 4 8 6 4 10 28. Would you say that Richard Blumenthal is honest and trustworthy or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 81% 73% 86% 84% 82% 81% No 9 20 2 8 11 6 DK/NA 10 7 12 8 7 13 29. Would you say that Richard Blumenthal has strong leadership qualities or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 82% 75% 88% 81% 80% 84% No 9 19 3 10 13 6 DK/NA 9 6 8 9 7 10 30. How much have you heard or read about Senator Lieberman's stance on health care reform? A lot, some, not much or nothing at all? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom A lot 34% 40% 33% 34% 41% 28% Some 43 49 37 45 41 46 Not much 17 9 24 14 13 20 Nothing at all 5 2 5 6 5 5 DK/NA 1 - 1 1 1 1 31. Does Senator Lieberman's stance on health care reform make you more likely to vote for him, less likely, or doesn't it make a difference? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom More likely 15% 30% 7% 14% 16% 14% Less likely 41 31 51 40 44 38 Doesn't make diff 38 33 35 42 35 41 DK/NA 6 6 8 4 5 7
