OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL: CLARUS AVERAGE 44%
Same as yesterday, up 1 point from a week ago
THE ELECTABILITY ISSUE
by Ron Faucheux
While the political world is breathlessly discussing Donald Trump, let's take a look at something more relevant to the election of the next president — and that's electability. Assuming Democrats nominate Hillary Clinton, will any of the Republicans be able to defeat her? CONTINUE READING HERE.
FOREIGN POLICY AND DEFENSE RATINGS
Among voters nationwide
“For each of the following presidential candidates, please tell me how well
you think they'd do handling issues related to foreign policy and national
defense...”
% = Excellent + Good / % = Only fair + Poor
Hillary Clinton: 48% / 50%
Jeb Bush: 34% / 57%
Marco Rubio: 24% / 46%
Scott Walker: 22% / 41%
Rick Perry: 22% / 51%
Lindsey Graham: 18% / 45%
Bernie Sanders: 16% / 40%
Martin O’Malley: 6% / 32%
RON’S COMMENT: Voters nationwide are uneasy about the ability of this crop of presidential candidates to handle foreign policy and national defense issues. All eight candidates tested in this Clarus poll received net negative ratings. Clinton has the highest positive rating (48%) and O’Malley (6%) has the lowest. While 84% of Democrats give Clinton a positive rating, 40% of independents and only 16% of Republicans do. Bush has the highest positive rating of Republicans tested (34%), but he also has the highest negative rating (57%). To his favor, Bush’s rating among Republicans is decidedly positive, at 59-31; but Democrats and independents drag him down, with Democrats giving him an extremely net negative rating of 12-77 and independents are almost as bad, at 17-65. Graham, who has made foreign policy and national defense his signature issue, has a net negative rating even among his fellow Republicans: 31% positive, 33% negative. He does much worse among Democrats, with a lopsided net negative of 10-53, and among independents, where he’s 9-53 negative.
REFORM AND 2016
Among voters nationwide
"What if a candidate for President made government reform, management performance, and cleaning out obsolete laws and regulations, major campaign issues--would that make you much more inclined to vote for that candidate, somewhat more inclined, somewhat less inclined or much less inclined?"
Much more inclined: 38%
Somewhat more inclined: 40%
Somewhat less inclined: 11%
Much less inclined: 4%
Would make no difference (volunteered): 4%
RON'S COMMENT: 78% of voters say they'd be more inclined to vote for a candidate for President who made government reform a major issue. Also, 72% of Democrats, 88% of Republicans and 71% of independents agree. While government reform would appear to be a good issue for candidates of both parties, it's especially powerful among the Republican electorate. Almost half of GOP voters (48%) say they'd be "much more" inclined to vote for a candidate who made reform a major issue; among Democrats, it's 33%.
HEALTH CARE LAW
Among adults nationwide
“As you may know, a health reform bill was signed into law in 2010. Given what you know about the health reform law, do you have a . . . ?”

Very favorable opinion of it: 19%
Somewhat favorable of it: 20%
TOTAL FAVORABLE: 39%
Somewhat unfavorable of it: 16%
Very unfavorable of it: 26%
TOTAL UNFAVORABLE: 42%

“Is your impression of the health care law based mainly on . . . ?”

Your own experience: 30%
What you’ve seen and heard on television, radio, and newspapers: 35%
What you’ve learned from friends and family: 19%
Some other source: 5%
Internet/Online research/Website: 2%

“What would you like to see Congress do when it comes to the health care law?”

Expand what the law does: 24%
Move forward with implementing the law as it is: 19%
Scale back what the law does: 12%
Repeal the entire law: 29%

“So far, would you say the health care law has . . . ?”

Directly helped you and your family: 19%
Directly hurt you and your family: 24%
Not had a direct impact: 54%
SPORTS
Among adults nationwide
“In general, would you describe yourself as a sports fan, or not?”

Yes, sports fan: 59%
No, not a sports fan: 41%

RON’S COMMENT: Men (66%) more so than women (51%) claim to be fans. Also, those with higher incomes (68%) are more likely to be sports fans than lower-income (54%) or middle-income (55%) Americans. In 2003, 66% of Americans described themselves as sports fans.

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Sources
Presidential job rating average based on the three most recently reported nationwide polls.
FOREIGN POLICY AND DEFENSE: Clarus Research Group, June 7-10
REFORM: Clarus Research Group for Common Good, June 7-10
HEALTH: Kaiser Family Foundation, June 2–9
SPORTS: Gallup, June 2–7
D = conducted by or for organizations generally associated with Democrats.
R = conducted by or for organizations generally associated with Republicans.