These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
Partisan Politics
59% Believe Politics in DC Will Be More Partisan Over Next YearSunday, March 6, 2011
The number of voters who believe politics inside the beltway will become more partisan over the next year has reached its highest level in nearly six months.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely Voters say politics in Washington, DC will become more partisan over the next year. That's the highest level measured since early September of last year. Twenty-one percent (21%) disagree and believe politics will be more cooperative in that time, while just as many (21%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here .)
The number of voters who believe politics will be more partisan in a year's time is up eight points from the previous survey and has ranged from a low of 50% to a high of 70% since late March 2009.
When it comes to President Obama, just 35% of voters believe he is governing on a bi-partisan basis, a finding that has remained in the mid-to-low 30s since late March 2009. Half (50%) think he's governing like a partisan Democrat and another 15% are undecided.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 2-3, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology.
Fifty-four percent (54%) of Democrats believe Obama is governing on a bi-partisan basis, a view shared by just 15% of Republicans and 36% of voters not affiliated with either political party. Most Republicans (69%) and unaffiliated voters (52%) think he's governing like a partisan Democrat.
Only 19% of all voters nationwide believe Congressional Democrats are acting on a bi-partisan basis. Sixty-two percent 62% feel they're acting like partisan Democrats, while 19% are not sure. These findings have remained fairly consistent since January 2009.
Likewise, 19% of voters say Congressional Republicans are acting on a bi-partisan basis, while 58% say they're acting like partisan Republicans. Twenty-three percent (23%) are undecided. These findings, too, show little change since January 2009.
A solid majority (60%) says it is at least somewhat likely the next president after Barack Obama will be a Republican, though that's the lowest level measured since late April of last year. Just 24% say it's not likely the next president will be from the GOP. These findings include 34% who say it's Very Likely and just five percent (5%) who say it's Not At All Likely. It is important to note that the question does not specify whether that next president will be elected in 2012 or 2016.
The number of American Adults identifying themselves as Republicans fell for the second straight month in February. The number of Democrats fell as well.
Republicans continue to hold a slight lead over Democrats in the Generic Congressional Ballot.
Though a plurality still gives Congress a poor grade, voters are showing slightly less negativity towards the legislators than they have in several years. Still, favorability ratings have dropped for all of the top leaders except Speaker of the House John Boehner .