December 13, 2007

PPIC poll results

The latest survey from the Public Policy Institute of California was just shy of 50 questions long and mined data about everything from the budget to the presidential primary to Proposition 93, the term limits measure. Here's a roundup of the results. (With occasional analysis in italitcs).

Republican presidential primary

24 percent Rudy Giuliani 15 Mitt Romney 12 Mike Huckabee 11 John McCain 10 Fred Thompson 3 Duncan Hunter 3 Ron Paul 3 Tom Tancredo 2 someone else

The story: Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, who surged 10 points since September to jump ahead of John McCain and Fred Thompson.

Democratic presidential primary

44 percent Hillary Clinton 20 Barack Obama 12 John Edwards 3 Joe Biden 3 Dennis Kucinich 3 Bill Richardson -- Chris Dodd -- Mike Gravel 2 someone else (specify) 13 don’t know

Which one issue would you most like to hear the presidential candidates talk about in the upcoming year?

18 percent immigration, illegal immigration 18 jobs, economy 10 health care, health costs 8 housing costs, housing availability, subprime housing crisis 7 education, schools 5 crime, gangs, drugs 5 environment, pollution 4 gasoline prices, oil prices 3 state budget, deficit, taxes 3 traffic, transportation, infrastructure 3 water, water quality, water availability 11 other 5 don’t know

As the PPIC notes, education has dropped to fifth.

Is California going in the right or wrong direction

36 percent right direction 52 wrong direction 12 don’t know

Do you think that during the next 12 months we will have good times financially or bad times?

25 percent good times 65 bad times 10 don’t know

Recently some people have proposed changing the way California awards its electoral votes in the presidential election, from a winner-take-all system to a system where electoral votes in each congressional district would be awarded to the winner of that district. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?

44 percent good idea 41 bad idea 15 don’t know

Proposition 93 (when read title and summary)

47 percent yes 38 no

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's approval rating

57 percent approve 37 disapprove 6 don’t know

The Legislature's approval rating

41 percent approve 47 disapprove 12 don’t know

Your legislator's approval rating

51 percent approve 36 disapprove 13 don’t know

With the state facing a potential multi-billion dollar deficit next year, Governor Schwarzenegger recently informed state agency leaders to prepare budgets that cut their spending by 10 percent. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?

68 percent good idea
27 bad idea

Should tax increases be included in the governor's plan?

30 percent yes 65 no

How to solve the budget gap: through cuts, taxes or a mix

42% spending cuts 7 tax increases 36 mix of spending cuts and tax increases 7 okay to borrow money and run a budget deficit 3 other (specify) 5 don’t know

President bush's approval rating

29 percent approve 67 disapprove 4 don’t know

Congress' approval rating

31 percent approve 62 disapprove 7 don’t know

Then there is a whole series of health care questions. The net results: folks want reform, want employers to pay for it, don't mind mandatory insurance -- if there's provisions to help the poor, and are lukewarm on a hospital tax.

If you want even more, the full poll is here.

Posted by Shane Goldmacher on December 13, 2007 10:10 AM