The Goucher Poll asked citizens for their perspectives regarding the job approval and favorability ratings of President Barack Obama and U.S. political parties, as well as their opinions about economic conditions. Citizens also were asked about their thoughts regarding the new health care law.
Perceptions of President Obama, Political Parties, and Congress
Fifty-seven percent of Marylanders have a favorable view of President Barack Obama, slightly lower than it was a year ago at this time, according to the Goucher Poll. Thirty-four percent hold an unfavorable view of the president. When asked to rate how well he is handling his job as president, 39 percent disapprove, and 55 percent approve.
Only 5 percent of Marylanders approve of how Congress is doing its job; 91 percent disapprove.
Maryland residents were asked which party—the Democratic or Republican Party—will do a better job leading the state over the next few years. About half of Maryland residents think the Democratic Party will do a better job; 23 percent think the Republican Party will do a better job; and 20 percent volunteer that “neither party” will do a better job.
Half of Maryland residents hold a favorable view of the Democratic Party, while a quarter hold a favorable view of the Republican Party. Seventeen percent of Marylanders have a favorable view of the Tea Party.
Personal Financial Situation
Marylanders are slightly less optimistic about their personal economic situation than they were a year ago. When asked if they expect their current financial to get better, stay about the same, or get worse over the next year:
October 2013
- Get Worse: 18 percent
- Stay About the Same: 31 percent
- Get Better: 47 percent
October 2012
- Get Worse: 11 percent
- Stay About the Same: 31 percent
- Get Better: 50 percent
And, when asked how their current personal financial situation compares to a year ago, 28 percent indicated that it was worse, 45 percent say it is about the same, and 27 percent say it is better.
Health Care
Fifty-three percent of Maryland residents indicate they have heard of marylandhealthconnection.gov, Maryland’s health exchange website. Forty-seven percent indicate they have not heard of it. Of those indicating they have heard of the website, about 20 percent have visited it since its launch at the beginning of October.
Marylanders were then asked how prepared different groups—the federal government, the Maryland state government, insurance companies, and Maryland citizens—were to handle the new health care law.
- 17 percent indicated the federal government was prepared
- 33 percent indicated the Maryland state government was prepared
- 45 percent indicated the insurance companies were prepared
- 28 percent indicated Maryland citizens were prepared
When asked about the impact of the new health care law on the quality of health care here in Maryland, 48 percent of Marylanders said it will have a positive impact; 35 percent said it would have a negative impact; and 11 percent said it will have no impact.
“Despite Maryland’s status as an ‘early adopter,’ advertisements during Ravens games, and a catchy commercial, almost half of Maryland residents have not heard of the website for Maryland’s health insurance exchange—marylandhealthconnection.gov,” said Mileah Kromer, director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center. “However, it does appear residents in the state are cautiously optimistic that the new health care law will have a positive impact on health care here in Maryland.”
The poll, conducted October 27-31, surveyed a dual-frame (landlines and cell phones) random sample of 665 Maryland residents and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. The sample is of all Maryland residents and does not restrict by registered or likely voters.
For more information, including the survey methodology and survey question design, please click here.
Additional crosstabs of the survey results are available upon request, and Mileah Kromer, the director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center, is available for comment. She can be reached at mileah.kromer@goucher.edu or 724-840-0990. For additional media requests, please contact Kristen Pinheiro, director of media relations, at 410-337-6316 or kristen.pinheiro@goucher.edu.