Franklin & Marshall College

Marginal Frequency Report

Marginal Frequency Report – Weighted Data N=651

Center for Politics and Public Affairs - Millersville University

>Q1< All in all, do you think things in Pennsylvania are generally headed in the right direction, or do you feel that things are off on the wrong track?
64% Right Direction
27% Wrong Track
9% Do not know

>Q2< We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. Would you say that you and your family are better off, worse off, or about the same financially as you were a year ago?
31% Better Off
16% Worse Off
52% Same
1% Do not know

>Q3< Now looking ahead, do you think that a YEAR from now, you and your family will be better off financially than you are now, worse off, or about the same as you are now?
38% Better Off
8% Worse Off
50% Same
4% Do not know

>Q4< I'd like to ask some questions about some issues and problems facing Pennsylvania today. First, what do you think is the MOST IMPORTANT problem facing Pennsylvania today?
16% Education
15% Crime, drugs
15% Unemployment
11% Do not know
8% Taxes
6% Roads
5% Other
4% Government
3% Environment
3% People leaving, losing youth
3% Welfare
3% Youth
2% Congestion, urban sprawl
2% Health care, health insurance
1% Cost of living, finances
1% Family values
1% Elderly
1% None, no problems

>Q5< What do you think is the MOST IMPORTANT problem facing you and your family today?
28% Cost of living, finances
14% Do not know
12% None, no problems
8% Health care, health insurance
7% Unemployment
6% Education
6% Other
5% Taxes
3% Crime, drugs
3% Elderly
3% Youth
1% Congestion, urban sprawl
1% Environment
1% Family values
1% Government
1% Medicare, social security

>Q6< Do you think that the problems facing you and your family today can be solved with the help of state government, or are those problems beyond what you think state government can do?
47% State can help
42% Beyond state government's ability
11% Do not know

>Q7< Which of the state's political parties, the Republican or Democrats, do you think care more about solving the issues and problems facing people like yourself?
26% Republican
34% Democrat
10% Both
20% Neither
10% Do not know

>Q8< Now I'd like to ask you some questions about state government. First, what kind of job do you think the state legislature is doing overall. Would you say it is doing an...
2% an Excellent Job,
33% a Good Job,
49% Only a fair job, or
10% a Poor job.
6% Do not know

>Q9< How much of the time do you think you can trust the government in Harrisburg to do what is right? Would you say
3% Just about always,
33% Most of the time, or
61% only some of the time?
3% Do not know

>Q10< Overall, how would you rate the quality of government in Pennsylvania? Would you say it is...
2% Excellent
47% Good
41% Only fair, or
8% Poor
2% Do not know

>Q11< Do you think you get your money's worth for the state and local taxes you pay, or do you think you pay too much for what you get?
27% Get money's worth
69% Pay too much
4% Do not know

>Int1< I'm going to read you some issues that have been in the news recently. For each one, please tell me how important it is for Pennsylvania politicians to address this issue. Please give each statement a score between 1 and 10, where 1 means that it is NOT important at all and 10 means it is VERY important. You can give the statement any score between 1 and 10.

>1Q@12< Improving basic education - Mean= 8.82
>1Q@13< Fighting crime - Mean= 8.54
>1Q@14< Improving highways and bridges - Mean= 8.07
>1Q@15< Improving and protecting the environment - Mean= 7.79
>1Q@16< Improving the state's economy -Mean= 7.67
>1Q@17< Reforming welfare - Mean= 7.57
>1Q@18< Building prisons- Mean= 5.53

>DEMO< I now have some questions for statistical purposes only. First,....

>CNTY< What is the name of the county you live in?
10% Philadelphia
10% Northeast
12% Allegheny
10% Southwest
11% Northwest
30% Central
17% Southeast

>AGE< What was your AGE on your last birthday?

>EDUC< What was the last grade level of schooling you have completed?
8% Non high school graduate
38% High school graduate
16% Some college
9% Two-year or tech degree
19% Four year college degree
10% Postgraduate degree

>CHLD< Do you have any children under 18 who live in your home?
38% Yes
62% No

>MAR< What is your CURRENT marital status? NOTE: If SINGLE ASK, "Have you ever been married"
22% Single, Never Married
55% Married
3% Separated
10% Divorced
10% Widow, Widower

>Vot1< Some people are registered to vote and many others are not. Are you currently registered to vote at your present address?
75% Yes
25% No

** Political Questions asked only of those who are currently registered to vote at their present address (PTY1 To Int3P22).

>PTY1< In politics, as of today, do you consider yourself a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent?
N=477
40% Republican
40% Democrat
18% Independent
1% Other
1% Do not know

>PRTY< Do you consider yourself a strong [fill PTnm]or not a very strong [fill PTnm]?
22% Strong Republican
20% Not Strong Republican
6% Lean Republican
6% Pure Independent
5% Lean Democrat
19% Not Strong Democrat
18% Strong Democrat
4% Do not know

>IDEO< Politically speaking, do you consider yourself to be a liberal, a moderate, or a conservative?
18% Liberal
37% Moderate
39% Conservative
6% Do not know

>Int2< I'd like to ask you a few questions about some people involved in politics today. Please let me know if your opinion of the person is favorable, not favorable, undecided, or if you haven't heard enough about the person to have an opinion.

>Int2P5< RICK SANTORUM
41% Favorable
19% Not Favorable
16% Undecided
22% Haven't heard enough
2% Do not know

>Int2P6< ED RENDELL
30% Favorable
7% Not Favorable
9% Undecided
50% Haven't heard enough
4% Do not know

>Int2P7< TOM RIDGE
65% Favorable
18% Not Favorable
13% Undecided
3% Haven't heard enough
1% Do not know

>Int2P8< AL GORE
37% Favorable
39% Not Favorable
19% Undecided
4% Haven't heard enough
1% Do not know

>Int2P9< TEXAS GOVERNOR GEORGE W. BUSH, JR
38% Favorable
16% Not Favorable
18% Undecided
27% Haven't heard enough
1% Do not know

>Int2P10< BOB CASEY JR
29% Favorable
11% Not Favorable
17% Undecided
41% Haven't heard enough
2% Do not know

>Int2P11< MIKE FISHER
16% Favorable
4% Not Favorable
11% Undecided
65% Haven't heard enough
4% Do not know

>P12< How would you rate the way Tom Ridge is handling his job as Governor? Would you say he is doing an excellent job, a good job, only a fair job, or a poor job?
12% Excellent
52% Good
27% Only fair, or
7% Poor
2% Do not know

>P13< How would you rate the way Rick Santorum is handling his job as US Senator? Would you say he is doing an excellent job, a good job, only a fair job, or a poor job?
8% Excellent
36% Good
26% Only fair, or
12% Poor
18% Do not know

>P14< Do you think that Rick Santorum has done a good enough job as US Senator to deserve reelection, or do you think it is time for a change?
34% Deserves reelection
38% Time for a change
28% Do not know

>P15< Would you vote for Rick Santorum no matter who ran against him?
N=164
42% Yes
32% No
26% Do not know

Note: Question P15 asked only of those who believe Rick Santorum deserves reelection.

>P16< If the 2000 election for President were being held today and the candidates were George W. Bush, Jr. or Al Gore who would you vote for?
50% George W. Bush, Jr.
30% Al Gore
20% Do not know

>Int3< I am going to read you a list of problems and issues that the state government is supposed to take care of. For each item, please tell me how well Governor Ridge has performed in each area, using an A, B, C, D, or F. Using an A for excellent, a B for very good, a C for average, a D for below average, or an F for failing, how would you rate the governor's performance in ...

>Int3P17< Fighting crime
10% A for excellent
40% B for very good
32% C for average
6% D for below average
5% F for failing
7% Do not know

>Int3P18< Helping to create new jobs
14% A for excellent
37% B for very good
26% C for average
9% D for below average
6% F for failing
8% Do not know

>Int3P19< Improving public education
8% A for excellent
28% B for very good
36% C for average
14% D for below average
8% F for failing
6% Do not know

>Int3P20< Reducing state taxes
5% A for excellent
14% B for very good
36% C for average
19% D for below average
19% F for failing
7% Do not know

>Int3P21< Representing the average citizen
10% A for excellent
30% B for very good
36% C for average
9% D for below average
9% F for failing
6% Do not know

>Int3P22< Helping to reduce local property taxes
3% A for excellent
15% B for very good
29% C for average
20% D for below average
22% F for failing
11% Do not know

>REL< Do you consider yourself to be Catholic, Protestant, Jewish or something else?
34% Catholic
41% Protestant
3% Jewish
22% Something Else

>BAC< Do you consider yourself to be a born-again Christian or fundamentalist?
33% Yes
63% No
4% Do not know

>RSRV< Do you attend religious services at least once a week?
47% Yes
53% No

>VET< Are you a military veteran?
20% Yes
80% No

>TALK< Are you a frequent listener to political talk shows?
34% Yes
66% No

>ABRT< Do you think that abortion should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances, or illegal in all circumstances?
26% Legal under any circumstances
54% Legal under certain circumstances