Vermont Public Radio releases the results of a new poll that examines Vermont’s top political races and a variety of other topics, including Governor Howard Dean’s quest for the presidency the possibility of a war with Iraq.
Question 1:
If the 2002 general election for the U.S. House of Representatives were held today, would you vote for:
Bill Meub, the Republican: 21%
Jane Newton, the Progressive: 1%
Bernie Sanders, the Independent: 63%
Undecided: 14%
Refused: 1%
Question 2:
If the 2002 general election for governor were held today, would you vote for:
Michael Badamo, the Progressive: 2%
Jim Douglas, the Republican: 28%
Con Hogan, the Independent: 6%
Doug Racine, the Democrat: 34%
Undecided 29%
Refused 1%
Question 3: If the 2002 general election for lieutenant governor were held today, would you vote for:
Brian Dubie, the Republican: 24%
Anthony Pollina, the Progressive: 22%
Peter Shumlin, the Democrat: 24%
Undecided: 29%
Refused: 1%
Question 4: Vermont law states that if none of the candidates in the governor or lieutenant governor races receive a majority of the votes, then the Legislature will make the decision on who is chosen. Do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, neither approve nor disapprove, somewhat disapprove or strongly disapprove?
Strongly approve: 11%
Somewhat approve: 21%
Neither approve nor disapprove: 11%
Somewhat disapprove: 18%
Strongly disapprove: 34%
Unsure: 4%
Question 5: A federal appeals court recently reinstated Vermont’s limits on money spent and money received in political campaigns. Do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, neither approve nor disapprove, somewhat disapprove or strongly disapprove?
Strongly approve: 37%
Somewhat approve: 30%
Neither approve nor disapprove: 13%
Somewhat disapprove: 7%
Strongly disapprove: 4%
Unsure: 9%
Question 6: President Bush has indicated that the United States may enter a war with Iraq to topple the regime of Saddam Hussein. Do you approve or disapprove or a war with Iraq? Would you say that you:
Strongly approve: 19%
Somewhat approve: 20%
Neither approve nor disapprove: 9%
Somewhat disapprove: 13%
Strongly disapprove: 32%
Unsure: 7%
Refused: 1%
Question 7: In considering military action against Iraq, which of the following statements is closest to your belief:
A) The president can take military action against Iraq without the approval of Congress: 19%
B) The president must receive the approval of Congress before taking military action against Iraq: 40%
C) The president and Congress may not take military action without just cause: 37%
Unsure: 4%
Question 8: How would rate President Bush’s handling of the Unites State economy?
Excellent: 5%
Good: 29%
Fair: 33%
Poor: 29%
Unsure: 3%
Refused: 1%
Question 9: On the topic of employment in Vermont, how would you rate the security of your own job? Would you say that it is very secure, moderately secure, not very secure, or not at all secure?
Very secure: 30%
Moderately secure: 27%
Not very secure: 9%
Not at all secure: 8%
Unsure: 2%
Unemployed: 3%
Homemaker: 2%
Retired: 19%
Student: 0%
Question 10: Thinking ahead to the presidential election of 2004, if the election were held today and Howard Dean was the Democratic nominee and George Bush was the Republican candidate, who would you vote for?
George Bush, the Republican: 44%
Howard Dean, the Democrat: 36%
Won’t vote: 5%
Undecided: 12%
Refused: 1%
Related stories online:
Governor’s race and U.S. House race
Lieutenant governor’s race
Voters’ stances on the issues
Dean’s presidential campaign
This survey was conducted for VPR by Action Research of Burlington. A total of 638 registered voters who said they were likely to vote in the November election were interviewed statewide by telephone between September 12 and September 15, 2002. The sample is a proportional sample based on population by county. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
Demographics of the poll: 261 male respondents (41%) and 377 female respondents (59%).