Ipsos Poll Conducted for Reuters
Core Political Approval
03.09.2016
2016 Ipsos. All rights reserved. Contains Ipsos' Confidential and Proprietary information
and may not be disclosed or reproduced without the prior written consent of Ipsos.
These are findings from an Ipsos poll conducted
for
date
March 5-9, 2016
For the survey,
a sample of
1,867
Americans
including
764
Democrats
690
Republicans
ages
220
Independents
18+
were interviewed online
2
The precision of the Reuters/Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval.
In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus the following percentage points
2.6
4.0
4.3
7.5
for all adults
Democrats
Republicans
Independents
For more information about credibility intervals, please see the appendix.
3
The data were weighted to the U.S. current population data by:
Gender
Age
Education
Ethnicity
Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online polls.
All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage
error and measurement error.
Figures marked by an asterisk (*) indicate a percentage value of greater than zero but less than one half of one
per cent.
Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding.
To see more information on this and other Reuters/Ipsos polls, please visit [Link]
RIGHT DIRECTION/WRONG TRACK
Generally speaking, would you say things in this country are heading in the right direction, or are they off on the wrong track?
Right Direction
Wrong Track
13%
4% 11%
11%
25%
17%
20%
42%
All Adults
Dont Know
Democrats
Republicans
Independents
47%
63%
85%
63%
BARACK OBAMA
Overall, do you approve or disapprove about the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President?
Is that strongly (approve/disapprove) or somewhat (approve/disapprove)? (Asked of those who selected approve or disapprove) Q2b. If you had to choose, do you lean more towards approve or
disapprove? (Asked of those who selected dont know)
Strongly approve
Somewhat approve
Lean towards approve
Lean towards disapprove
Somewhat disapprove
Strongly disapprove
Not sure
TOTAL APPROVE
TOTAL DISAPPROVE
Total
Democrat
Republican
Independent
23%
43%
7%
11%
20%
33%
6%
17%
2%
4%
1%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
14%
10%
17%
21%
33%
6%
67%
33%
6%
2%
13%
45%
79%
13%
31%
49%
19%
86%
56%
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES
Please think ahead now to the next Presidential in one years time, in 2016.
If the 2016 Republican presidential primaries were being held today, for whom of the following would you vote?
(Asked of registered voters, n=908)
Donald Trump
Ted Cruz
Marco Rubio
John Kasich
Benjamin Carson (Removed on 3/08)
Wouldnt vote
Total
(n=908)
34%
21%
15%
12%
4%
14%
Republican
(n=639)
41%
24%
13%
13%
4%
5%
Independent
(n=180)
22%
16%
19%
15%
6%
20%
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES
Please think ahead now to the next Presidential in one years time, in 2016.
If the 2016 Democratic presidential primaries were being held today, for whom of the following would you vote?
(Asked of registered voters, n=955)
Hillary Clinton
Bernie Sanders
Wouldnt vote
Total
(n=955)
46%
39%
16%
Democrat
(n=686)
55%
40%
5%
Independent
(n=180)
26%
42%
32%
HEAD-TO-HEADS
If the 2016 presidential election were being held today and the candidates were as below, for whom would you vote?
(Asked of registered voters, n=1,594)
Registered
Voters
Ted Cruz (Republican)
Hillary Clinton (Democrat)
Neither / Other
Wouldn't Vote
Refused
35%
43%
9%
7%
6%
Donald Trump (Republican)
Hillary Clinton (Democrat)
Neither / Other
Wouldn't Vote
Don't know / Refused
31%
45%
13%
5%
6%
Donald Trump (Republican)
Bernie Sanders (Democrat)
Neither / Other
Wouldn't vote
Don't know / Refused
32%
47%
10%
4%
7%
Ted Cruz (Republican)
Bernie Sanders (Democrat)
Neither / Other
Wouldn't vote
Don't know / Refused
33%
46%
8%
6%
7%
0%
Jan 1-7, 2012
Jan 29-Feb 4, 2012
Feb 19-25, 2012
Mar 11-17, 2012
Apr 1-7, 2012
Apr 22-28, 2012
May 13-19, 2012
Jun 3-9, 2012
Jun 24-Jun 30, 2012
Jul 15-21, 2012
Aug 5-11, 2012
Aug 26-Sept 1, 2012
Sept 16-22, 2012
Oct 7-13, 2012
Oct 28-Nov 3, 2012
Nov 18-24, 2012
Dec 9-15, 2012
Jan 1-7, 2013
Jan 22-28, 2013
Feb 12-18, 2013
Mar 5-Mar 11, 2013
Mar 26-Apr 1, 2013
Apr 16-22, 2013
May 7-13, 2013
May 28-Jun 3, 2013
Jun 18-24, 2013
Jul 9-15, 2013
Jul 30-Aug 5, 2013
Aug 20-26, 2013
Sept 10-16, 2013
Oct 1-7, 2013
Oct 22-28, 2013
Nov 12-18, 2013
Dec 3-9, 2013
Dec 24-30, 2013
Jan 15-21, 2014
Feb 5-11, 2014
Feb 26-Mar 4, 2014
Mar 19-25, 2014
Apr 9-15, 2014
Apr 30-May 6, 2014
May 21-27, 2014
Jun 11-17, 2014
Jul 2-8, 2014
Jul 23-29, 2014
Aug 20-26, 2014
Sept 10-16, 2014
Oct 8-14, 2014
Oct 29-Nov 4, 2014
Dec 3-9, 2014
Jan 1-7, 2015
Jan 22-28, 2015
Feb. 12-18, 2015
March 12-18, 2015
April 2-8, 2015
April 23-29, 2015
May 21-27, 2015
Jun 11- Jun 17, 2015
July 1-July 7, 2015
July 29-Aug 4, 2015
Aug 19- Aug 25, 2015
Sept 10-16, 2015
October 1-7, 2015
October 22-27, 2015
November 11-17, 2015
December 2-8, 2015
December 23-29, 2015
January 15-19, 2016
February 5-9, 2016
February 26-March 1,
Weekly Presidential Approval
70%
60%
50%
50%
40%
44%
30%
20%
TOTAL - DISAPPROVE
10%
TOTAL APPROVE
For tracking purposes, approval ratings in the above graphic reflect weekly roll-ups of our tracking data (a 7-day period), rather than the 5-day period reflected throughout this topline document
10
CORE POLITICAL APPROVAL
In your opinion, which political party has a better plan, policy or approach to each of the following?
(n=905)
All Adults (n=905)
Healthcare
The war on terror
Iran
The US Economy
Immigration
Social Security
Medicare
Taxes
Gay marriage
Jobs and employment
The federal government deficit
Supporting small businesses
Education
Foreign policy
Womens rights
The environment
Israel
Syria
Energy policy
Democratic
Party
37%
27%
21%
33%
32%
34%
37%
30%
42%
36%
26%
35%
38%
29%
46%
41%
21%
22%
36%
Republican
Party
25%
33%
27%
31%
31%
23%
22%
29%
16%
30%
29%
26%
20%
31%
15%
16%
29%
26%
23%
Independents
Other
None
Dont know
DEM/REP
PARTY DIFF
7%
5%
7%
5%
6%
6%
6%
7%
7%
5%
8%
7%
8%
6%
8%
8%
6%
6%
6%
2%
2%
3%
2%
3%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
3%
3%
3%
3%
3%
3%
4%
2%
2%
12%
11%
14%
9%
11%
12%
11%
12%
12%
9%
13%
9%
11%
9%
9%
10%
12%
14%
9%
17%
21%
29%
19%
16%
21%
21%
20%
21%
18%
21%
21%
21%
22%
20%
22%
29%
29%
23%
13%
-6%
-7%
2%
1%
11%
15%
1%
27%
6%
-3%
9%
18%
-2%
30%
25%
-8%
-4%
12%
TOP
Democrats
Republicans
11
In your opinion, which political party has a better plan, policy or approach to each of the following?
(n=905)
Democratic Party
60%
50%
46%
42%
40%
30%
41%
38%
37%
37%
36%
36%
35%
34%
33%
32%
30%
29%
27%
26%
22%
21%
21%
20%
10%
0%
12
In your opinion, which political party has a better plan, policy or approach to each of the following?
(n=905)
Republican Party
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
33%
31%
31%
31%
30%
29%
29%
29%
27%
26%
26%
25%
23%
23%
22%
20%
16%
16%
15%
0%
13
In your opinion, which political party has a better plan, policy or approach to each of the following?
(n=905)
Democratic/Republican Party Difference
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
Democrat Advantage
30%
27%
25%
18%
15%
13%
12%
11%
9%
6%
2%
0%
-5%
-10%
Republican Advantage
1%
1%
-2%
-3%
-4%
-6%
-7%
-8%
14
Party Identification
All Adults: n= 1,867
Strong Democrat
16%
Moderate Democrat
20%
Lean Democrat
7%
Lean Republican
7%
Moderate Republican
14%
Strong Republican
11%
Independent
12%
None of these
DK
8%
5%
Democrat
43%
Republican
Independent
None/DK
32%
12%
13%
15
How to Calculate Bayesian Credibility Intervals
The calculation of credibility intervals assumes that Y has a binomial distribution conditioned on the parameter \, i.e., Y|~Bin(n,),
where n is the size of our sample. In this setting, Y counts the number of yes, or 1, observed in the sample, so that the sample
mean (y ) is a natural estimate of the true population proportion . This model is often called the likelihood function, and it is a
standard concept in both the Bayesian and the Classical framework. The Bayesian 1 statistics combines both the prior distribution and
the likelihood function to create a posterior distribution. The posterior distribution represents our opinion about which are the
plausible values for adjusted after observing the sample data. In reality, the posterior distribution is ones knowledge base updated
using the latest survey information. For the prior and likelihood functions specified here, the posterior distribution is also a beta
distribution ((/y)~(y+a,n-y+b)), but with updated hyper-parameters.
Our credibility interval for is based on this posterior distribution. As mentioned above, these intervals represent our belief about
which are the most plausible values for given our updated knowledge base. There are different ways to calculate these intervals
based on (/y). Since we want only one measure of precision for all variables in the survey, analogous to what is done within the
Classical framework, we will compute the largest possible credibility interval for any observed sample. The worst case occurs when we
assume that a=1 and b=1 and y=n/2. Using a simple approximation of the posterior by the normal distribution, the 95% credibility
interval is given by, approximately:
16
How to Calculate Bayesian Credibility Intervals
For this poll,
the Bayesian Credibility Interval was adjusted using standard weighting design effect 1+L=1.3 to account for complex weighting2
Examples of credibility intervals for different base sizes are below.
SAMPLE SIZE
2,000
1,500
1,000
750
500
350
200
100
CREDIBILITY
INTERVALS
2.5
2.9
3.5
4.1
5.0
6.0
7.9
11.2
Ipsos does not publish data
for base sizes
(sample sizes) below 100.
1 Bayesian
2 Kish,
Data Analysis, Second Edition, Andrew Gelman, John B. Carlin, Hal S. Stern, Donald B. Rubin, Chapman & Hall/CRC | ISBN: 158488388X | 2003
L. (1992). Weighting for unequal Pi . Journal of Official, Statistics, 8, 2, 183200.
17