Vanderbilt University Poll
May 6 – May 13, 2013
1,000 Tennessee Residents
813 Tennessee Registered Voters
Approval of State Figures by Party ID
Among TN Registered Voters
80%
70%
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
76%
68%
63%
60%
62%
61%
54%
51%
50%
45%
64%
47%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Haslam
Total
Democrats
State Legislature
Independents
Republicans
Tea Party
Approval of Haslam and Knowledge of
Department of Children Services Investigation
70%
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
Among TN Registered Voters
63%
63%
Have heard or read about investigation
Have not heard or read about investigation
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Matt Mead-WY
Chris Christie-NJ
Mary Fallin-OK
Bill Haslam-TN
Susana Martinez-NM
John Hickenlooper-CO
Brian Sandoval-NV
Andrew Cuomo-NY
Bob McDonnell-VA
Mark Dayton-MN
Terry Branstad-IA
Scott Walker-WI
John Kasich-OH
Sean Parnell-AK
Dan Malloy-CT
Jerry Brown-CA
Rick Perry-TX
Paul LePage-ME
Rick Snyder-MI
Nikki Haley-SC
Nathan Deal-GA
Sam Brownback-KS
Maggie Hassan-NH
Rick Scott-FL
Tom Corbett-PA
Pat Quinn-IL
Lincoln Chafee-RI
Approval of Republican Governors
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Approval of Federal Figures
By Party ID Among TN Registered Voters
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
90%
83%
80%
68%
70%
60%
50%
56%
55%
60% 62%
59%
53% 54% 53%
45%
40%
40%
34%
29%
30%
21%
20%
18% 18% 18%
14%
8%
10%
0%
Corker
Total
Alexander
Democrats
U.S. Congress
Independents
Republicans
Obama
Tea Party
State Government Priorities
Among TN Registered Voters
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
60%
50%
50%
40%
31%
30%
20%
16%
18%
12%
15%
12%
10%
6%
3%
8%
3%
4%
0%
Economy/Jobs
Guns
Education
Health Care
Immigration
What should be the TN State Government top priority?
What was the TN State Legislature top priority?
Social Issues
Support for Guns
Among TN Registered Voters
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
100%
80%
80%
85%
77%
62%
60%
60%
49%
39%
40%
23%
20%
0%
Background Checks
Armed Guards in
Schools
Gun Owner
High Capacity
Allow Teachers to
Ammunition Clips Ban Carry Guns in Schools
Not Gun Owner
Health Insurance Exchanges and Medicaid
Among TN Registered Voters
60%
52%
50%
40%
41%
51%
54%
45%
35%
33%
29%
30%
20%
32%
13%
10%
0%
Support decision, federal government should run
exchange
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
Total
Democrats
Support decision not to expand Medicaid
Independents
Republicans
Tea Party
Education in Tennessee
Among TN Registered Voters
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
34%
Give scholarships to best students, regardless of need
Give scholarships low/middle income students who
maintain certain GPA
62%
66%
Favor Opening More Charter Schools
24%
Oppose Opening More Charter Schools
31%
Favor Statewide Voucher Program
35%
Favor Limited Voucher Program
26%
Oppose Voucher Program
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Taxes in Tennessee
Among TN Registered Voters
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
38%
23%
15%
11%
10%
One of most
heavily taxed
Above average
About Average
Below average
One of the least
taxed
How do you think the amount of taxation in the state compares to that of other
states in the U.S.?
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
Taxes in Tennessee by Party Identification
Among TN Registered Voters
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
44%
38% 38% 39% 39%
33%
36%
35%
37%
32%
24%
29%
26%
26%
14%
TN taxes are above average
Total
Democrats
TN taxes are average
Independents
TN taxes are below average
Republicans
Tea Party
Issues facing the Legislature
Among TN Registered Voters
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
100%
80%
93%
69%
65%
60%
40%
32%
28%
20%
5%
0%
Support
Oppose
Sell Wine in Grocery
Stores
Support
Oppose
Require employers to allow
employees to keep gun in vehicle
Support
Oppose
State Legislature selects U.S.
Senate Nominees
Online Sales Tax
Among TN Registered Voters
60%
55%
50%
40%
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
47%
47%
Fair
Unfair
38%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Good
Bad
Do you think it is a good policy or a bad policy
for Tennesseans to be charged sales tax for things
they purchase online?
Do you think charging sales tax for things
Tennesseans purchase online is fair or unfair to
local businesses in Tennessee?
Gay Rights in Tennessee
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
Among TN Registered Voters
70%
62%
60%
46%
50%
40%
32%
31%
30%
17%
20%
10%
0%
Support Gay
Marriage
Support Civil
Unions
Oppose Legal
Recognition
Yes
No
Should there be health insurance & other
employee benefits for gay domestic partners
or spouses?
Vanderbilt University Poll
May 6 – May 13, 2013
1,000 Tennessee Residents
813 Tennessee Registered Voters
Approval of Federal Figures
Among TN Registered Voters
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
70%
60%
60%
50%
53%
47%
52%
40%
38%
39%
37%
30%
20%
56%
55%
53%
45%
40%
57%
19%
21%
21%
21%
10%
0%
November 2011
February 2012
Corker
May 2012
Alexander
December 2012
U.S. Congress
May 2013
Obama
Views of the Economy
Among TN Registered Voters
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
81%
17%
November 2011
74%
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
76%
24%
23%
February 2012
May 2012
US Economy: Very or Fairly Good
66%
67%
34%
31%
December 2012
May 2013
US Economy: Very or Fairly Bad
Views of the Economy
Among TN Registered Voters
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
43%
17%
November 2011
24%
23%
February 2012
May 2012
US Economy: Very or Fairly Good
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
48%
52%
34%
31%
December 2012
May 2013
TN Economy: Very or Fairly Good
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
Immigration by Party Identification
Among TN Registered Voters
60%
50%
56%
46% 46%
43%
41%
40%
34%
30%
35%
31%
22%
20%
18% 16%
32%
22%
17% 18%
10%
0%
Stay and apply for
citizenship
Total
Democrats
Stay as temporary guest Required to leave jobs and
workers
U.S.
Independents
Republicans
Tea Party
Guns in Tennessee
Among TN Registered Voters
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
88%
72%
59%
43%
Owns a Gun
45%
Support Requiring Support Armed
Support High Support Assualt
Background Guards in Schools
Capacity
Weapons Ban
Checks
Ammunition Clips
Ban
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
Sequestration by Party Identification
Among TN Registered Voters
59%
60%
51%
50%
48% 48%
41%
40%
29%
30%
20%
21% 19% 20%
28%
26%
23%
22%
20%
13%
10%
0%
Good for country
Total
Democrats
Bad for country
Independents
No real impact
Republicans
Tea Party
Opinion of “Affordable Care Act” or “Obamacare”?
Among TN Registered Voters
57%
60%
52%
50%
40%
20%
29%
27%
30%
15% 17%
10%
0%
Generally Favorable
Generally Unfavorable
Affordable Care Act
Haven't heard enough about it
Obamacare
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
Scholarships and Charter Schools by Party Identification
Among TN Registered Voters
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
73%
62%
61%
53%
52%
45%
43%
34%
66%64%65%
64%
71%
33%
25%
Give scholarships to best
Give scholarships to
students, regardless of need low/middle income students
who maintain certain GPA
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
Total
Democrats
Favor opening more charter
schools
Independents
Republicans
Tea Party
School Voucher Program by Party Identification
Among TN Registered Voters
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
41%
39%
35%
31%
37%
35%
29%
28%
26%
23%
Favor statewide voucher program Favor limited voucher program
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
Total
32%
31%
Democrat
Independent
26%
26%
25%
Oppose voucher program
Republican
Tea Party
Source : VU Poll
May 2013
N = 813; MoE: +/- 4.0%
Education in Tennessee
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Among TN Registered Voters
77%
71%
75%
60%
51%
54%
46%
38%
35%
26%
18%
Under $15k
15 - 30k
21%
30 - 45k
45 - 75k
Income of Respondent
75k - 100k
Above $100k
Give scholarships to low-middle income students who maintain a certain GPA
Give scholarships to best students, regardless of need