Taubman Center for Public Policy Survey

 

Chafee Leads Laffey and Whitehouse is Ahead of Brown in Races for U.S. Senate Nominations

 

A statewide survey of 449 Rhode Island voters conducted September 10-11, 2005 finds that U.S. Senator Lincoln Chafee leads Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey in the campaign for the Republican Senatorial nomination, while former Rhode Island Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse is ahead of Secretary of State Matt Brown for the Democratic nomination.  


PROVIDENCE, R.I. U.S. Lincoln Chafee leads Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey by 44 to 24 percent in the race for the Republican Senatorial nomination, according to a new statewide survey conducted by researchers at Brown University.  On the Democratic side, former Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse is ahead of Secretary of State Matt Brown by 32 to 16 percent.

The survey was conducted September 10-11, 2005, at Brown University by Darrell M. West, director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy and the John Hazen White Sr. Public Opinion Laboratory. It is based on a statewide random sample of 449 registered voters in Rhode Island. Overall, the poll had a margin of error of about plus or minus 5 percentage points.

If the general election were held today, Senator Chafee has an advantage of 38 to 25 percent over Whitehouse (up from 41 to 36 percent in June).  If Brown were the Democratic nominee, Chafee’s lead grows to 41 to 18 percent (up from 44 to 29 percent in June).

If the Republican nominee is Mayor Laffey, Whitehouse is ahead by 35 to 25 percent (comparable to the 45 to 32 percent Whitehouse had in June).  If the nominees are Laffey and Brown, Brown has a slight advantage of 30 to 26 percent over Laffey (compared to 40 to 30 percent in June).

Governor Donald Carcieri has a lead of 42 to 31 percent over Democratic Lieutenant Governor Charles Fogarty. In June, Carcieri had a margin of 48 to 39 percent over Fogarty.

Only 25 percent of state voters believe President George Bush is doing an excellent or good job (about the same as his 24 percent in June).  Sixty-eight percent of Rhode Island voters rate the performance of Sen. Jack Reed good or excellent, down from 71 percent in the previous survey. Fifty-four percent believe Senator Lincoln Chafee is doing a good or excellent job, up from 53 percent in June.  Sixty-two percent feel Rep. Jim Langevin is doing a good job in Congress (about the same as his 63 percent) and 49 percent believe Rep. Patrick Kennedy is doing a good job (down from 56 percent).

When asked about the job performance of state officials, 52 percent feel Carcieri is doing a good job as governor (down from 57 percent in June).  Thirty-eight percent believe Fogarty is doing a good job as lieutenant governor (down from 52 percent). Forty-four percent think Attorney General Patrick Lynch is doing a good job, down from 48 percent in June. Thirty-three percent feel Brown is doing a good job as secretary of state, down from 42 percent. Thirty-seven percent believe Treasurer Paul Tavares is doing a good job, about the same as his 38 percent last time.

Eleven percent rate the job performance of Senate President Joseph Montelbano as good or excellent (down from 16 percent) and 15 percent rate the performance of House Speaker William Murphy as good or excellent, down from 24 percent. Sixty percent say Providence Mayor David Cicilline is doing a good job, up from 59 percent. Forty-two percent indicate that Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey is doing a good job, down from 44 percent in the last poll.

Forty-three percent (the same as in June) believe the state is headed in the right direction, while 40 percent feel it is headed on the wrong track.

When asked whether they have made a financial contribution to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina that recently struck the Gulf Coast, 79 percent indicated they had, 20 percent said they had not, and 1 percent were unwilling to answer the question.  We asked state voters how likely they thought a significant hurricane would strike Rhode Island this year.  Six percent felt it is very likely, 32 percent believe somewhat likely, 46 percent feel it is not very likely, and 16 percent are unsure.  Less than half of state voters (42 percent) say they have  prepared an emergency kit in case a hurricane strikes Rhode Island, while 57 percent say they have not. 

 

John Robert has been nominated by President Bush to serve as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.  Thirty-eight percent believe his nomination should be approved by the U.S. Senate, 24 percent think it should be rejected, and 38 percent are unsure.

For more information, contact Darrell M. West at (401) 863-1163.

Survey Questions and Responses

If the Republican primary for U.S. Senate were held today, would you vote for:  44% Lincoln Chafee, 24% Stephen Laffey, 32% don't know or no answer

 

If the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate were held today, would you vote for:  16% Matt Brown, 32% Sheldon Whitehouse, 52% don't know or no answer

If the U.S. Senate election were held today, would you vote for: 41% Republican Lincoln Chafee, 18% Democrat Matt Brown, 41% don’t know or no answer

If the U.S. Senate election were held today, would you vote for: 38% Republican Lincoln Chafee, 25% Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse, 37% don’t know or no answer

If the U.S. Senate election were held today, would you vote for: 26% Republican Stephen Laffey, 30% Democrat Matt Brown, 44% don’t know or no answer

If the U.S. Senate election were held today, would you vote for: 25% Republican Stephen Laffey, 35% Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse, 40% don’t know or no answer

If the governor’s election were held today, would you vote for: 42% Republican Don Carcieri, 31% Democrat Charles Fogarty, 27% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job George W. Bush is doing as president? 5% excellent, 20% good, 28% only fair, 44% poor, 3% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jack Reed is doing as U.S. Senator? 23% excellent, 45% good, 14% only fair, 5% poor, 13% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Lincoln Chafee is doing as U.S. Senator? 10% excellent, 44% good 25% only fair, 10% poor, 11% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Patrick Kennedy is doing as U.S. Representative? 13% excellent, 36% good, 25% only fair, 12% poor, 14% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Jim Langevin is doing as U.S. Representative? 18% excellent, 44% good, 18% only fair, 2% poor, 18% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Don Carcieri is doing as governor? 15% excellent, 37% good, 27% only fair, 15% poor, 6% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Charles Fogarty is doing as lieutenant governor? 7% excellent, 31% good, 20% only fair, 3% poor, 39% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Patrick Lynch is doing as attorney general? 6% excellent, 38% good, 28% only fair, 10% poor, 18% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Matt Brown is doing as secretary of state? 4% excellent, 29% good, 20% only fair, 3% poor, 44% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Paul Tavares is doing as general treasurer? 4% excellent, 33% good, 14% only fair, 3% poor, 46% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Joseph Montelbano is doing as Senate President? 2% excellent, 9% good, 20% only fair, 11% poor, 58% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job William Murphy is doing as Speaker of the House? 1% excellent, 14% good, 25% only fair, 17% poor, 43% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job David Cicilline is doing as mayor of Providence? 16% excellent, 44% good, 18% only fair, 9% poor, 13% don’t know or no answer

How would you rate the job Stephen Laffey is doing as mayor of Cranston? 12% Excellent, 30% good, 16% only fair, 13% poor, 29% don’t know or no answer

Generally speaking, would you say things in Rhode Island are going in the right direction, or have they gotten off on the wrong track? 43% right direction, 40% wrong track, 17% don’t know or no answer

John Robert has been nominated by President Bush to serve as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.  Do you think his nomination should be:  38% approved, 24% rejected by the U.S. Senate, 38% don’t know or no answer

 

Have you made a financial contribution to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina that recently struck the Gulf Coast?  79% yes, 20% no, 1% don’t know or no answer

 

How likely do you think it is that a significant hurricane will strike Rhode Island this year? 6% very likely, 32% somewhat likely, 46% not very likely, 16% don’t know or no answer

 

Have you prepared an emergency kit in case a hurricane strikes Rhode Island? 42% yes, 57% no, 1% don’t know or no answer