Langevin Leads Chafee;
Carcieri Leads All Challengers; N.E. Patriots Rule;
One-Third of State
Expects Red Sox to Repeat as World Series Champions
A statewide survey of 384 Rhode Island
voters conducted February 12-13, 2005 finds Representative James Langevin would
lead Senator Lincoln Chafee in a U.S. Senate race, and Governor Don Carcieri
leads all challengers. In sports,
one-third of Rhode Islanders expect the Red Sox to repeat as World Series
champions; Red Sox fans outnumber Yankees fans six to one; and a majority
considers the Patriots a dynasty and expects another Super Bowl victory.
The
survey was conducted
Of
those individuals who considered themselves a baseball fan, 52 percent said
support of their team was very strong, 29 percent indicated it was somewhat
strong, 9 percent stated their support was not very strong, and 10 percent were
unsure. Yankee fans are more intense
than Red Sox fans. Whereas 56 percent of
Red Sox fans describe their support for their team as very strong, 64 percent
of Yankee fans said they were very strong supporters of their team.
Thirty-five
percent of state voters expect the Red Sox to win the World Series again this
year, while 36 percent think they will not.
Women (44 percent) were more likely than men (27 percent) to think the
Red Sox would repeat their World Series triumph.
In
the wake of the New England Patriots football team’s victory in the Super Bowl,
58 percent consider the Patriots to be a dynasty team. Fifty-eight percent expect them to win the
Super Bowl again next year. Women (66
percent) were more likely than men (50 percent) to believe the Patriots would
repeat their victory.
The survey also inquired about the upcoming U.S. Senate
race in 2006. If the Senate contest were
held today, Representative James Langevin has a substantial lead over incumbent
Senator Lincoln Chafee. Forty-one
percent indicate they would vote for Langevin, compared to 27 percent who say
they would vote for Chafee. Among women,
Langevin has a lead of 41 to 24 percent, while among men, he is ahead of Chafee
by 41 to 32 percent. With Republican
voters, Chafee leads Langevin by 43 to 30 percent, while Langevin is ahead of
Chafee by 61 to 18 percent with Democrats and 36 to 31 percent among Independents.
If the Democratic candidate were Secretary of State Matt
Brown, Chafee holds a lead of 39 to 25 percent.
Among women, Chafee is ahead of Brown by 42 to 26 percent, while among
men, Chafee leads by 38 to 24 percent.
With Republicans, Chafee leads Brown 54 to 13 percent and Chafee also is
ahead of Brown by 44 to 18 percent among Independents. Brown is ahead of Chafee among Democrats by
43 to 31 percent.
If the Republican candidate were Cranston Mayor Stephen
Laffey, Langevin leads by 46 to 22 percent.
Among Republicans, Laffey is ahead by 69 to 13 percent, while Langevin
leads Laffey among Democrats (76 to 3 percent) and Independents (43 to 21
percent). With women, Langevin is ahead
by 46 to 21 percent, while among men, Langevin has a margin of 47 to 25
percent.
In a match-up pitting Laffey versus Brown, the two are
virtually tied with 30 percent expressing support for Brown and 27 percent
saying they would vote for Laffey. Among
women, Brown is ahead by 29 to 26 percent, while with men, he leads Laffey by
34 to 29 percent. With Republicans,
Laffey is ahead of Brown by 68 to 6 percent.
Among Democrats, Brown leads by
Governor Don Carcieri has a lead over either one of two
possible Democratic candidates. If the
election were held today and the Democratic candidate were Lieutenant Governor
Charles Fogarty, Carcieri leads 44 to 33 percent. Among Republicans, Carcieri leads Fogarty by
89 to 6 percent, while Fogarty is ahead with Democrats by 55 to 24
percent. Carcieri also is ahead with
Independents, by a 49 to 29 percent margin.
With men, Carcieri has a lead to 51 to 33 percent over Fogarty, but the
governor’s margin narrows to 40 to 36 percent among women.
If the candidate were former Attorney General Sheldon
Whitehouse, Carcieri has a margin of 46 to 30 percent. Carcieri leads Whitehouse among Republicans
by 78 to 11 percent and among Independents by 55 to 22 percent. However, among Democrats, Whitehouse is ahead
by 56 to 26 percent. With men, Carcieri
is ahead by 51 to 31 percent, while among women, the governor leads by 45 to 31
percent.
When
asked about the job performance of various public officials, 57 percent feel
Governor Donald Carcieri is doing a good job (down from 60 percent last
year). Forty-six percent believe
Lieutenant Governor Charles Fogarty is doing a good job (up from 44
percent). Fifty percent think Attorney
General Patrick Lynch is doing a good job, up from the 40 percent. Thirty-six percent feel Secretary of State
Matt Brown is doing a good job, up from 28 percent. Thirty-six percent believe Treasurer Paul
Tavares is doing a good job, down from 39 percent last time. Fifteen percent rate the job performance of
Senate President Joseph Montelbano as good or excellent (down from 16 percent)
and 21 percent rate the performance of House Speaker William Murphy as good or
excellent, down from 22 percent.
Sixty-two percent say Providence Mayor David Cicilline is doing a good
job, up from 61 percent. Fifty-one
percent indicate that Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey is doing a good job, up
from 39 percent two years ago.
President
George Bush's support within the state remains the same. In this month's survey, 31 percent feel he is
going a good or excellent job, the same as last year. Sixty-three percent rate the performance of
Senator Jack Reed good or excellent, the same as in the previous survey. Forty-eight percent believe Senator Lincoln
Chafee is doing a good job, down from 56 percent. Fifty-nine percent feel Congressman James
Langevin is doing a good job (up from 56 percent) and 49 percent believe
Congressman Patrick Kennedy is doing a good job (up from 42 percent).
Fifty-two
percent believe the state is headed in the right direction, while 26 percent
feel it is off on the wrong track. Last
year, 54 percent believed the state was headed in the right direction and 33
percent stated that the state was headed off on the wrong track.
For
more information, contact Darrell M. West at (401) 863-1163. A copy of the press release outlining survey
results can be found at www.InsidePolitics.org.
Survey Questions and
Responses
If the U.S. Senate election were held today, would you
vote for: 39% Republican Lincoln Chafee,
25% Democrat Matt Brown, 36% don't know or no answer
If the U.S. Senate election were held today, would you
vote for: 27% Republican Lincoln Chafee,
41% Democrat James Langevin, 32% don't know or no answer
If the U.S. Senate election were held today, would you vote
for: 27% Republican Stephen Laffey, 30%
Democrat Matt Brown, 43% don't know or no answer
If the U.S. Senate election were held today, would you
vote for: 22% Republican Stephen Laffey,
46% Democrat James Langevin, 32% don't know or no answer
If the governor’s election were held today, would you
vote for: 44% Republican Don Carcieri,
33% Democrat Charles Fogarty, 23% don't know or no answer
If the governor’s election were held today, would you
vote for: 46% Republican Don Carcieri,
30% Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse, 24% don't know or no answer
How would you rate the job George W. Bush is doing as
president? 8% excellent, 23% good, 25% only fair, 36% poor, 8% don't know or no
answer
How would you rate the job Jack Reed is doing as
How would you rate the job Lincoln Chafee is doing as
U.S. Senator? 10% excellent, 38% good
24% only fair, 13% poor, 15% don't know or no answer
How would you rate the job Patrick Kennedy is doing as
U.S. Representative? 14% excellent, 35%
good, 23% only fair, 15% poor, 13% don't know or no answer
How would you rate the job Jim Langevin is doing as U.S.
Representative? 16% excellent, 43% good, 16% only fair, 1% poor, 24% don't know
or no answer
How would you rate the job Don Carcieri is doing as
governor? 19% excellent, 38% good, 23% only fair, 12% poor, 8% don't know or no
answer
How would you rate the job Charles Fogarty is doing as
lieutenant governor? 10% excellent, 36% good, 15% only fair, 2% poor, 37% don't
know or no answer
How would you rate the job Patrick Lynch is doing as
attorney general? 9% excellent, 41% good, 24% only fair, 8% poor, 18% don't
know or no answer
How would you rate the job Matt Brown is doing as
secretary of state? 4% excellent, 32% good, 21% only fair, 4% poor, 39% don't
know or no answer
How would you rate the job Paul Tavares is doing as
general treasurer? 8% excellent, 28% good, 14% only fair, 4% poor, 46% don't
know or no answer
How would you rate the job Joseph Montelbano is doing as
Senate President? 2% excellent, 13% good, 18% only fair, 12% poor, 55% don't
know or no answer
How would you rate the job William Murphy is doing as
Speaker of the House? 3% excellent, 18% good, 20% only fair, 15% poor, 44% don't know or no answer
How would you rate the job David Cicilline is doing as
mayor of
How would you rate the job Stephen Laffey is doing as
mayor of
Generally speaking, would you say things in
Do you consider yourself: 11% more of a New York Yankees fan, 66% more
of a Boston Red Sox fan, 3% a fan of another major league baseball team, 14%
not a fan of any major league baseball team, 6% don’t know or no answer
(If
a fan), is your support of this team:
52% very strong, 29% somewhat strong, 9% not very strong, 10% don’t know
or no answer
Do you expect the Boston Red Sox to win the World Series
this year? 35% yes, 36% no, 29% don’t know or no answer
Do you expect the New England Patriots to win the Super
Bowl next year? 58% yes, 16% no, 26% don’t know or no answer
Based on the fact that the New England Patriots have won
the Super Bowl three of the last four years, do you consider them to be a
dynasty team? 58% yes, 25% no, 17% don’t know or no answer