Poll:
Gore, Bush still lead in support for presidential nominationBy Keating Holland/CNN
January 12, 2000
Web posted at: 5:01 p.m. EST (2201 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Vice President Al Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush maintain their lead in support for their parties' presidential nominations, and Bush continues to beat Gore in head-to-head matchups, according to a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.
Bush leads the pack of Republican candidates by 45 percent. Although Bush's closest rival, Arizona Sen. John McCain, may be gaining in New Hampshire polls, nationally he trails
Bush, 63 percent to 18 percent.
The poll of 1,633 adult Americans, including 627 registered Democrats
and 630 registered Republicans, was conducted January 7-10.
Gore fares just as poorly against McCain as against Bush. In a Gore-McCain race, Gore loses by 14 percent. Last November, the vice president posted a 14 point lead over McCain.
Former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley manages a tie with McCain, and
loses to Bush by a statistically-insignificant 49 percent to 47
percent margin.
Gore is increasing his lead against Bradley. Among Democrats, the vice president
polls in at 59 percent to Bradley's 30 percent. Two-thirds of all likely voters
say they would be satisfied with a Bush-Gore matchup in the general election.
While the poll's questions are framed as if the election were held today,
many voters may ultimately change their minds about the candidates.
Only 35 percent of American voters say they have given the November
election "quite a lot" of thought. A full 52 percent of voters are only
beginning to consider the candidates.
If Vice President Al Gore were the Democratic Party's candidate and Texas Gov.
George W. Bush were the Republican party's candidate, as of today, do you lean
more toward Gore, the Democrat or Bush, the Republican?
| Bush | 52% |
| Gore | 43% |
| Sampling error: +/-3.5% pts |
If Al Gore And George W. Bush Become The Democratic And Republican Nominees For
President This Year, Would You Be Satisfied With That Choice, Or Not Satisfied?
| Satisfied | 67% |
| Not satisfied | 31% |
| Sampling error: +/-3.5% pts |
As of today, do you lean more toward Bradley, the Democrat or Bush, the Republican?
| Bush | 49% |
| Bradley | 47% |
| Sampling error: +/-3.5% pts |
As of today, do you lean more toward Gore, the Democrat or McCain, the Republican?
| McCain | 54% |
| Gore | 41% |
| Sampling error: +/-3.5% pts |
As of today, do you lean more toward Bradley, the Democrat or McCain, the Republican?
| McCain | 46% |
| Bradley | 46% |
| Sampling error: +/-3.5% pts |
Which of the Republican candidates would you be most likely to support
for the Republican nomination for president in the year 2000?
| Bush | 63% |
| McCain | 18% |
| Forbes | 5% |
| Hatch | 2% |
| Keyes | 2% |
| Bauer | 1% |
| Sampling error: +/-4% pts |
Which of the Democratic candidates would you be most likely to support
for the Democratic nomination for president in the year 2000?
| Gore | 59% |
| Bradley | 30% |
| Sampling error: +/-4% pts |
In general, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States at this time?
| Satisfied |
| Now | 69% |
| September | 52% |
| Dissatisfied
|
| Now | 28% |
| September | 45% |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Are you satisfied with the state of the nation's economy?
| Now | 83% |
| 1993 | 25% |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Right now, do you think that economic conditions in the country as a whole are getting better or getting worse?
| Better |
| Now | 69% |
| September | 59% |
| Worse |
| Now | 23% |
| September | 34% |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?
| Approve |
| Now | 51% |
| September | 37% |
| Disapprove |
| Now | 42% |
| September | 56% |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Do you approve of disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling his job as president?
| Approve |
| Now | 63% |
| December | 57% |
| September | 59% |
| Disapprove |
| Now | 35% |
| December | 36% |
| September | 38% |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Does the U.S. representative in your congressional district deserve to be reelected?
| Yes | 67% |
| No | 15% |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of each of the following parties:
| Favorable ratings |
| | Now | November |
| Democratic Party | 61% | 51% |
| Republican Party | 53 | 50 |
| Unfavorable ratings |
| | Now | November |
| Democratic Party | 33% | 41% |
| Republican Party | 41 | 44 |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Are you satisfied with the opportunity for the next generation of Americans to live better than their parents?
| Yes | 69% |
| No | 29 |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Are you satisfied with the opportunities for poor people in this country to get ahead by working hard?
| Yes | 60% |
| No | 39 |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Are you satisfied with the quality of education?
| Yes | 54% |
| No | 45 |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Are you satisfied with the availability and affordability of health care?
| Yes | 40% |
| No | 59 |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Are you satisfied with the progress made in reducing poverty and homelessness?
| Yes | 44% |
| No | 54 |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Are you satisfied with the moral values in this country?
| Yes | 27% |
| No | 72 |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Which of the following do you think will be most important to you when you decide who to vote for?
| Leadership and vision | 51% |
| Stands on the issues | 36 |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
Would you say you are generally content with the way things are going in the country today, or is there something you would say you are angry about?
| Generally content | 54% |
| Angry about anything | 43 |
| Sampling error: +/-2.5% pts |
|
