CT Governor's Race: Lamont Holds 17-Point Lead Over Fazio, Quinnipiac University Connecticut Poll Finds; Lamont Ahead On Cost Of Living And Economy
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Less than two months until Connecticut's gubernatorial election, 55 percent of likely voters support incumbent Democrat Ned Lamont, 38 percent support Republican challenger Ryan Fazio, 5 percent are undecided, and 2 percent refuse to respond, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University Connecticut poll of likely voters released today.
Democrats 93 - 6 percent support Lamont, while Republicans 86 - 10 percent support Fazio. Among independents, 48 percent support Lamont and 42 percent support Fazio.
There is a wide gender gap.
Women 64 - 30 percent support Lamont.
Men are divided, with 44 percent supporting Lamont and 47 percent supporting Fazio.
FAVORABILITY RATINGS
Fifty percent of likely voters have a favorable opinion of Ned Lamont, while 36 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him, and 11 percent haven't heard enough about him.
Twenty-eight percent of likely voters have a favorable opinion of Ryan Fazio, while 25 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him, and 45 percent haven't heard enough about him.
"Ned Lamont seems favored to win a third term as governor, as his opponent Ryan Fazio fights a name recognition handicap in a predominantly Democratic state," said Doug Schwartz, Associate Vice President and Director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE
When likely voters were given a list of nine issues and asked which is the most important one in deciding who to vote for in the election for governor, the cost of living (27 percent) and the economy (23 percent) top the list, followed by taxes (11 percent), immigration (10 percent), and health care (8 percent). No other issue reached six percent.
Among likely voters who say the cost of living is the most important issue, 63 percent back Lamont and 29 percent back Fazio.
Among likely voters who say the economy is the most important issue, 58 percent back Lamont and 33 percent back Fazio.
Among likely voters who say taxes are the most important issue, 72 percent back Fazio and 22 percent back Lamont.
Among likely voters who say immigration is the most important issue, 63 percent back Fazio and 36 percent back Lamont.
Among likely voters who say health care is the most important issue, 83 percent back Lamont and 15 percent back Fazio.
"Can Fazio's strong numbers on taxes and immigration blunt Lamont's dominance on cost of living and the economy? It is a steep uphill climb against a governor with a strong advantage in the race and years of incumbency," added Schwartz.
PERSONAL TRAITS
Likely voters were asked whether the candidates have good leadership skills:
- Lamont: 63 percent say yes, 32 percent say no, with 5 percent not offering an opinion;
- Fazio: 31 percent say yes, 26 percent say no, with 43 percent not offering an opinion.
Likely voters were asked whether the candidates care about the needs and problems of people like them:
- Lamont: 53 percent say yes, 42 percent say no, with 5 percent not offering an opinion;
- Fazio: 42 percent say yes, 31 percent say no, with 27 percent not offering an opinion.
Likely voters were asked whether the candidates are honest:
- Lamont: 51 percent say yes, 37 percent say no, with 12 percent not offering an opinion;
- Fazio: 36 percent say yes, 23 percent say no, with 42 percent not offering an opinion.
SATISFACTION
More than half of likely voters (52 percent) are either very satisfied (8 percent) or somewhat satisfied (44 percent) with the way things are going in Connecticut today, while 47 percent are either somewhat dissatisfied (25 percent) or very dissatisfied (22 percent).
CT'S ECONOMY
Forty-five percent of likely voters describe the state of Connecticut's economy these days as either excellent (2 percent) or good (43 percent), while 53 percent describe it as either not so good (34 percent) or poor (19 percent).
More than half of likely voters (53 percent) think Connecticut's economy is staying about the same, 39 percent think it's getting worse, and 6 percent think the state's economy is getting better.
Half of likely voters (50 percent) think Ned Lamont is more responsible for the state of Connecticut's economy, while 41 percent think Donald Trump is more responsible for the state of Connecticut's economy.
Fifty-two percent of likely voters say they are worse off financially than they were a year ago, while 28 percent say they are better off, and 18 percent volunteer they are the same financially as they were a year ago.
JOB APPROVALS
Fifty percent of likely voters approve of the way Ned Lamont is handling his job as governor, while 42 percent disapprove.
Fifty-one percent of likely voters approve of the way Chris Murphy is handling his job as United States Senator, while 38 percent disapprove.
Fifty percent of likely voters approve of the way Richard Blumenthal is handling his job as United States Senator, while 40 percent disapprove.
Twenty-eight percent of likely voters approve of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president, while 67 percent disapprove.
1,288 Connecticut likely voters were surveyed from September 8th - 14th with a margin of error of +/- 3.8 percentage points, including the design effect.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on probability-based samples using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.
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Poll Questions
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Question 1. If the election for governor were being held today, and the candidates were Ned Lamont the Democrat and Ryan Fazio the Republican, for whom would you vote? (INCLUDES LEANERS)
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Lamont 55% 10% 93% 48% 44% 64% Fazio 38 86 6 42 47 30 SMONE ELSE(VOL) - - - - - - WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) - - - - - - UNDECIDED(VOL) 5 5 1 8 5 5 REFUSED 2 - - 2 3 - MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE TO GOV VOTE Q8..... Econ- CostOf Health omy Living Care Taxes Immigration Lamont 58% 63% 83% 22% 36% Fazio 33 29 15 72 63 SMONE ELSE(VOL) - - - - - WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) - - - - - UNDECIDED(VOL) 7 5 2 5 1 REFUSED 1 2 1 1 - CONNECTICUT ECONOMY Q10. Excellent/ NotSoGood/ VeryGood Poor Lamont 77% 37% Fazio 19 55 SMONE ELSE(VOL) - - WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) - - UNDECIDED(VOL) 3 7 REFUSED 2 1 -
Question 1a. (If candidate chosen q1) Would you say you are very enthusiastic about supporting (candidate of choice), somewhat enthusiastic, not so enthusiastic, or not enthusiastic at all?
LIKELY VOTERS................ CANDIDATE CHOSEN Q1.......... CANDIDATE OF CHOICE Q1 Tot Lamont Fazio Very enthusiastic 32% 27% 39% Smwht enthusiastic 53 54 51 Not so enthusiastic 10 12 6 Not enthus at all 4 5 3 DK/NA 2 2 2 -
Question 1b. (If candidate chosen q1) How likely is it that you will change your mind about your choice for governor before the election; very likely, somewhat likely, not so likely, or not likely at all?
LIKELY VOTERS................ CANDIDATE CHOSEN Q1.......... CANDIDATE OF CHOICE Q1 Tot Lamont Fazio Very likely 1% 1% 1% Somewhat likely 10 9 10 Not so likely 18 21 13 Not likely at all 70 67 75 DK/NA 1 2 1 -
Question 2. Is your opinion of Ned Lamont favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 50% 19% 79% 40% 42% 56% Unfavorable 36 71 9 43 44 30 Hvn't hrd enough 11 8 12 12 11 11 REFUSED 3 2 1 5 3 3 -
Question 3. Is your opinion of Ryan Fazio favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 28% 62% 5% 29% 35% 23% Unfavorable 25 3 43 22 24 26 Hvn't hrd enough 45 35 50 46 40 49 REFUSED 2 - 1 4 1 2 -
Question 4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ned Lamont is handling his job as governor?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 50% 16% 81% 42% 43% 57% Disapprove 42 77 13 48 49 35 DK/NA 8 7 6 10 8 8 -
Question 5. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Chris Murphy is handling his job as United States Senator?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 51% 10% 83% 43% 42% 58% Disapprove 38 80 8 42 47 30 DK/NA 12 10 9 15 11 12 -
Question 6. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Richard Blumenthal is handling his job as United States Senator?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 50% 13% 80% 43% 42% 57% Disapprove 40 78 11 45 48 33 DK/NA 10 8 9 12 10 10 -
Question 7. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 28% 76% 3% 24% 32% 25% Disapprove 67 17 94 70 62 70 DK/NA 6 7 3 6 7 5 -
Question 8. Which of these is the most important issue to you in deciding who to vote for in the election for governor: the economy, the cost of living, health care, taxes, electricity costs, crime, schools, immigration, or affordable housing?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Economy 23% 23% 23% 24% 24% 22% Cost of living 27 18 30 29 24 29 Health care 8 4 12 7 5 10 Taxes 11 19 2 15 13 9 Electricity costs 5 6 5 5 6 4 Crime 2 4 1 2 3 1 Schools 4 2 6 3 3 5 Immigration 10 16 9 8 7 13 Affordable housing 4 1 6 3 6 2 SOMETHING ELSE(VOL) 2 3 1 2 3 2 DK/NA 3 4 4 3 5 2 -
Question 9. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in Connecticut today; are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very satisfied 8% 2% 15% 5% 8% 9% Smwht satisfied 44 22 63 41 38 48 Smwht dissatisfied 25 34 16 30 28 23 Very dissatisfied 22 42 7 24 25 20 DK/NA - - - 1 1 - -
Question 10. Would you describe the state of Connecticut's economy these days as excellent, good, not so good, or poor?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Excellent 2% 1% 3% 2% 3% 1% Good 43 25 64 35 43 44 Not so good 34 41 25 39 32 35 Poor 19 32 7 22 21 18 DK/NA 2 1 1 3 1 2 -
Question 11. Do you think Connecticut's economy is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Better 6% 4% 8% 7% 10% 3% Worse 39 50 30 40 35 41 The same 53 45 59 51 52 53 DK/NA 2 1 3 2 2 2 -
Question 12. Would you say that you are better off or worse off financially than you were a year ago?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Better off 28% 28% 32% 27% 35% 23% Worse off 52 50 46 58 43 58 SAME(VOL) 18 21 19 14 19 17 DK/NA 2 2 3 1 2 1 -
Question 13. Who do you think is more responsible for the state of Connecticut's economy: Ned Lamont or Donald Trump?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Lamont 50% 71% 38% 52% 58% 44% Trump 41 24 54 38 34 47 DK/NA 8 4 8 10 7 9 CONNECTICUT ECONOMY Q10. Excellent/ NotSoGood/ VeryGood Poor Lamont 48% 53% Trump 45 38 DK/NA 7 8 -
Question 14. Would you say that Ned Lamont - has good leadership skills, or not?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 63% 36% 86% 58% 55% 69% No 32 60 10 36 41 25 DK/NA 5 4 4 7 4 6 -
Question 15. Would you say that Ryan Fazio - has good leadership skills, or not?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 31% 63% 10% 34% 36% 27% No 26 9 39 23 23 28 DK/NA 43 27 51 43 41 45 -
Question 16. Would you say that Ned Lamont - is honest, or not?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 51% 27% 71% 46% 44% 56% No 37 62 16 41 44 31 DK/NA 12 11 12 13 11 13 -
Question 17. Would you say that Ryan Fazio - is honest, or not?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 36% 63% 19% 38% 40% 32% No 23 10 33 20 24 22 DK/NA 42 27 48 43 36 46 -
Question 18. Would you say that Ned Lamont - cares about the needs and problems of people like you, or not?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 53% 26% 78% 44% 46% 58% No 42 69 19 50 50 35 DK/NA 5 5 4 6 4 6 -
Question 19. Would you say that Ryan Fazio - cares about the needs and problems of people like you, or not?
LIKELY VOTERS......................... Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 42% 78% 23% 40% 47% 38% No 31 8 43 32 31 30 DK/NA 27 14 34 28 22 32