LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Teenagers Look Ahead – Ideological Self-Perceptions of Parties – Top Issues

Your Daily Polling Update for Tuesday, February 26, 2019

TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 44%
Same as yesterday

RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on five polls, ranging from 41% (Reuters) to 49% (Rasmussen). Without these two extremes, it would still be 44%…. President Trump’s disapproval rating averages 53% today, which is 9 points higher than his approval rating.

MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE
Among voters nationwide

Which of these is the most important issue for you?

Health care: 17%
The economy: 13%
Social Security: 11%
Immigration: 11%
The environment: 11%
Terrorism: 7%
Gun control: 7%
Education: 5%
Abortion: 6%
Medicare: 4%
Taxes: 3%
The budget deficit: 3%
Gay rights: 2%
Foreign policy: 1%
The war in Afghanistan: 0%

RON’S COMMENT: For Democrats, the top issues are: healthcare (22%), the environment (17%) and Social Security (11%)…. For Republicans: immigration (21%), the economy (15%) and terrorism (13%)…. For independents: health care (17%), the economy (13%), Social Security (10%) and the environment (10%)…. Social Security is consistent across the political spectrum, getting 10-11% from every group…. On hot social issues, abortion ranks highest among Republicans (9%) and lowest among Democrats (2%). Gun control is the opposite, it’s highest among Democrats (10%) and lowest among Republicans (5%)…. More Republicans say the budget deficit than do Democrats (4% vs. 2%)…. Note that the war––repeat, war––in Afghanistangets 0%. Out of sight, out of mind?

PARTY IDEOLOGY: SELF-PERCEPTIONS
Among adults nationwide

What Democrats Say:
The Democratic Party is too liberal: 11%
The Democratic Party is not liberal enough: 20%
The Democratic Party is about right: 55%

What Republicans Say:
The Republican Party is too conservative: 12%
The Republican Party is not conservative enough: 30%
The Republican Party is about right: 49%

RON’S COMMENT: Only 12% of Republicans say their party is too conservative, while only 11% of Democrats say their party is too liberal. Also, 20% of Democrats want their party to be more liberal and 30% of Republicans want their party to be more conservative…. 39% of independents say the Democratic Party is too liberal and 31% say the Republican Party is too conservative.

TEENAGERS LOOK AT LIFE
Among 13-17-year-olds nationwide

Here are some things that people may value in their lives. In looking ahead, how important, if at all, would each of the following be to you personally as an adult? 

% = Extremely + very important
Having a job or career you enjoy: 95%
Helping other people who are in need: 81%
Having a lot of money: 51%
Getting married: 47%
Having children: 39%
Becoming famous: 11%

RON’S COMMENT: Having an enjoyable job and helping people in need are the two top goals for U.S. teenagers as they look ahead to adulthood…. This poll also found that 59% of teenagers want to go to a 4-year college, 12% want to go to a 2-year college, 4% want to enroll in a vo-tech school, 5% want to work full-time and 3% want to join the military.

TUESDAY TRIVIA

Who is the only current U.S. Senator who was first elected to the Senate the year Ronald Reagan won the presidency in 1980?

(See answer below)

SOURCES
MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE, PARTY IDEOLOGY: The Economist/YouGov, Feb. 17-19
TEENAGERS: PEW, Sept. 17-Nov. 25, 2018

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When poll results add up to more than 100%, it is usually due to rounding.
L = Libertarian candidate
G = Green Party candidate
Ind = independent candidate
O = Other candidate(s)
D poll = conducted by or for organizations generally associated with Democrats.
R poll = conducted by or for organizations generally associated with Republicans.

TRIVIA ANSWER

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA). He was elected to the Senate in November, 1980. He defeated incumbent Sen. John Culver (D), who passed away this past December.

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