October 2015 NBC-SurveyMonkey TREND DOCUMENT - ALL

1. In general, do you think things in this country are heading in the right direction or the
wrong direction?
10.27-29.15
10.13-15.15
9.17-18.15
8.7-10.15
7.13-19.15
6.3-7.15
4.6-8.15

Right Direction Wrong Direction DK/NA

29
69
3
29
67
4
30
67
2
30
68
3
33
65
2
31
66
3
35
64
1

2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president?
Approve
Disapprove
Strongly Somewhat
Strongly
Somewhat
DK/
Net
approve
approve
Net disapprove disapprove
NA
10.27-29.15
46
22
24
51
37
14
2
10.13-15.15
47
23
24
51
37
14
2
9.17-18.15
48
22
26
52
38
14
1
8.7-10.15
45
22
23
54
43
11
1
7.13-19.15
48
24
24
51
38
13
1
6.3-7.15
51
16
35
47
31
16
1
4.6-8.15
51
19
32
48
28
20
0
3. Which one of these is the biggest economic problem facing the country? [RANDOMIZE]
10.27-29.15
Unemployment and lack of jobs
11
Gap between rich and everyone else
19
Cost of healthcare
12
Cost of higher education
6
Stagnant wages and benefits
9
Burdensome regulations on business
3
Taxes and government spending
31
Housing market
1
4. Which best describes your familys financial situation? You feel as if you:
10.27-29.15
Make enough to save money and buy some extras
32
Make just enough to pay bills and obligations
47
Dont make enough to pay all the bills
19
No answer
2

5. Do you think most children in the United States will grow up to be better off or worse off
financially as their parents, or about the same?
10.27-29.15

Better off Worse off About the same

13
56
29

6. Which best describes how you feel about the way the federal government works?
Satisfied,
Dissatisfied, but
Enthusiastic but not enthusiastic
not angry
Angry
10.27-29.15
1
14
47
35
7. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Business corporations generally
strike a fair balance between making profits and serving the public interest.
Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly
agree
agree
disagree disagree
10.27-29.15
5
29
33
31
8. Do you think the American dream that if you work hard youll get ahead:
Once held true but
Still holds true does not anymore Never held true
10.27-29.15
33
56
10
9. Which of the following comes CLOSER to what you think is the best way to promote
economic growth in the United States, even if neither is exactly right?
10.27-29.15
Lower taxes on individuals and businesses
48
and cut spending on some government services
and programs to pay for those tax cuts.
Spend more time on education and the nations
49
infrastructure, and raise taxes on wealthy
individuals and businesses to pay for that spending.
10. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Business corporations do not
share enough of their success with their employees.
Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly
agree
agree
disagree disagree
10.27-29.15
47
32
13
6
11. In politics today, do you consider yourself a Republican, Democrat, or Independent?

Republican Democrat Independent DK/No answer

10.27-29.15
27
30
40
3
10.13-15.15
27
32
37
3
9.17-18.15
29
31
37
4
8.7-10.15
30
32
36
2
7.13-19.15
27
33
38
2
6.3-7.15
23
35
40
2
4.6-8.15
23
34
41
2
12. [ASK IF INDEPENDENT or SKIP] As of today, do you lean more to the Republican Party
or more to the Democratic Party?
10.27-29.15
10.13-15.15
9.17-18.15
8.7-10.15
7.13-19.15
6.3-7.15
4.6-8.15

Republican Democrat Neither DK/NA

29
21
43
7
27
22
47
4
28
23
45
4
30
23
41
4
27
24
44
6
25
28
47
0
26
34
38
2

[ASK OF REPUBLICANS AND LEAN REPUBLICANS]

13. Here is a list of possible candidates for the Republican nomination for president in
2016. If the 2016 Republican presidential primary or caucus in your state were being held
today, for whom would you vote? [RANDOMIZE 1-15]

Jeb Bush
Ben Carson
Chris Christie
Ted Cruz
Carly Fiorina
Jim Gilmore
Lindsey Graham
Mike Huckabee
Bobby Jindal
John Kasich
George Pataki
Rand Paul
Rick Perry
Marco Rubio
Rick Santorum
Donald Trump
Scott Walker
Someone else

10.27-29.15
RV
5
26
2
10
4
2
2
2
NA
9
26
NA
1

10.13-15.15
RV
5
23
2
6
6
3
1
3
2
NA
9
28
NA
2

9.17-18.15
RV
8
14
3
7
11
2
2
1
3
NA
7
29
3
2

8.7-8.15
RV
7
10
1
14
8
1
5
1
2
5
1
8
22
7
1

7.13-19.15
RV
9
8
3
6
2
NA
1
5
1
3
6
2
8
1
22
10
2

4.6-8.15
RV
12
7
8
7
NA
NA
1
6
2
2
NA
7
3
6
NA
NA
12
5

Wouldnt vote/ Dont

know
No answer

11

21

[ASK OF DEMOCRATS AND LEAN DEMOCRATS]

14. Here is a list of possible candidates for the Democratic nomination for president in
2016. If the 2016 Democratic presidential primary or caucus in your state were being held
today, for whom would you vote? [RANDOMIZE 1-4]

Joe Biden
Lincoln Chafee
Hillary Clinton
Lawrence Lessig
Martin OMalley
Bernie Sanders
Elizabeth Warren
Jim Webb
Someone else
Wouldnt vote/ Dont
know
No answer

10.27-29.15
RV
NA
NA
50
1
1
30
NA
NA
5
12

10.13-15.15
RV
10
45
1
31
NA
1
2
9

9.17-18.15
RV
15
41
1
29
NA
1
3
9

8.7-10.15
RV
11
49
NA
1
25
NA
1
4
9

7.20-26.15
RV
7
48
NA
1
26
NA
1
3
13

4.6-8.15
RV
7
NA
50
NA
2
5
16
1
1
19

15. Did you happen to watch the debate among the Republican candidates for president
that was held on Wednesday night, or not?

I watched both debates

I watched the first debate that
included four candidates
I watched the second debate
that included ten candidates
I did not watch the debates live,
but followed coverage of them in
the news
I did not watch the debates and
havent really followed news
coverage about them
No answer

10.2829.15
RV
N= 3,154
20
3

9.1718.15
RV

8.78.15*
RV

23
3

18
2

14

13

21

42

32

33

21

27

25

*Slightly different wording was used to match previous debate dates and number of candidates in debates.

[ASK IF Q15=1-4; Q15=5 GO TO Q19]

16. From what you have heard and read, who do you think won or did the best job in the
Republican debates?
Among Republican &
Republican Leaning RVs
who watched or followed coverage
Jeb Bush
Ben Carson
Chris Christie
Ted Cruz
Carly Fiorina
Jim Gilmore
Lindsey Graham
Mike Huckabee
Bobby Jindal
John Kasich
George Pataki
Rand Paul
Rick Perry
Marco Rubio
Rick Santorum
Donald Trump
Scott Walker
None of them
No answer

10.28-29.15
N=1226
2
15
2
24
7
NA
1
1
1
1
NA
20
17
NA
8
2

9.17-18.15
7
7
4
4
36
NA
1
1
1
NA
8
21
1
8
2

8.7-8.15*
2
8
2
12
22
5
2
3
13
18
3
11
1

*Answers were randomized

17. From what you have heard and read, who do you think did the worst job in the
Republican debates? [ROTATE 1-15]
Among Republican &
Republican Leaning RVs
who watched or followed coverage
Jeb Bush
Ben Carson
Chris Christie
Ted Cruz
Carly Fiorina
Jim Gilmore
Lindsey Graham
Mike Huckabee
Bobby Jindal
John Kasich
George Pataki
Rand Paul
Rick Perry
Marco Rubio
Rick Santorum

10.28-29-.15
N=1226
38
2
3
1
3
NA
5
2
1
5
4
6
NA
2
2

9.17-18.15
10
2
4
3
2
NA
5
3
2
4
5
14
NA
2

8.7-8.15*
11
1
9
1
2
2
8
1
1
2
2
14
2
1
1

Donald Trump
Scott Walker
None of them
No answer

9
NA
14
2

19
6
17
4

29
1
13
1

*Answers were randomized

18. Based on what you have heard and read about the debates, who do you think would do
the best job at handling the United States economy?
Among Republican &
Republican Leaning RVs
who watched or followed coverage
Jeb Bush
Ben Carson
Chris Christie
Ted Cruz
Carly Fiorina
Lindsey Graham
Mike Huckabee
Bobby Jindal
John Kasich
George Pataki
Rand Paul
Marco Rubio
Rick Santorum
Donald Trump
None of them
No answer

10.28-29.15
N=1226
4
11
1
14
6
1
4
2
7
41
5
2

19. In general, how would you describe your views on most political issues? Are you:

10.27-29.15
10.13-15.15
9.17-18.15
8.7-10.15
7.13-19.15
6.3-7.15
4.6-8.15

Very
conservative
10
8
10
13
8
7
6

Conservative
26
24
25
25
24
20
19

Moderate
39
40
37
36
40
45
39

Liberal
15
15
16
15
17
19
23

Very
liberal
7
7
8
8
8
7
12

DK/NA
3
5
4
3
2
2
2

20. Some people are registered to vote and others are not. Are you registered to vote in the
election district where you now live, or arent you?

10.27-29.15

Yes,
registered
to vote
No, not registered to vote Dont know N/A
83
12
3
2

21. Are you now married, widowed, divorced, separated, or have you never been married?

10.2729.15

Never
been
Married Widowed Divorced Separated married DK/NA
50

12

28

22. Are you:

Male Female
10.27-29.15 48
52
23. What is your age?
10.27-29.15

18-29
21

30-49
34

50-64
26

65 or
over
18

24. Some people think of themselves as evangelical or born again Christians. Do you ever
think of yourself in either of these ways?
10.27-29.15

Yes No DK/NA
32 66
2

25. How often do you attend religious or worship services, not including weddings and
funerals?
More
than
Once or
once a Once a
twice a
A few times
week
week
month
a year
Seldom Never DK/NA
10.27-29.15
11
21
10
16
20
20
2
27. What was the last grade of school you completed?
Did not
complete
High
high
school
Associate Some
school
or G.E.D
degree
College
10.27-29.15
5
37
9
23
28. Are you:
10.27-29.15

White
66

Black
12

Hispanic
15

Other
8

College
15

Post
graduate
degree
12

29. Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin or descent, or not?

Yes
No
10.27-29.15
14
86
30. My total family income last year was:

10.2729.15

Under
$15,000
10

Between
$15,000$29,999
13

Between
$30,000$49,999
18

Between
$50,000$74,999
18

Between
$75,000$99,999
13

Between
$100,000$150,000
13

Over
$150,000
9

DK/
NA
5

METHODOLOGY
The NBC News Online Poll was conducted online by SurveyMonkey October 27-29, 2015 among a
national sample of 8,706 adults aged 18 and over. Respondents for this non-probability survey
were selected using an algorithm from among the nearly three million people who take surveys on
the SurveyMonkey platform each day.
Data for this survey have been weighted for age, race, sex, education, and region using the Census
Bureaus American Community Survey to reflect the demographic composition of the United States.
Because the sample is based on those who initially self-selected for participation rather than a
probability sample, no estimates of sampling error can be calculated. All surveys may be subject to
multiple sources of error, including, but not limited to sampling error, coverage error, and
measurement error. Polls conducted in one day may include additional error due to the limited
time period that panelists have to respond to and complete the survey.
To assess the variability in the estimates and account for design effects, we create a bootstrap
confidence interval to produce an error estimate, meaning we use the weighted data to generate
5000 independent samples and calculate the 95% confidence intervals for the weighted average.
When analyzing the survey results and their accuracy, this error estimate should be taken into
consideration in much the same way that analysis of probability polls takes into account the margin
of sampling error. For example, if 47 percent of voters say they support Candidate A and 43 percent
of voters support Candidate B, and the error estimate is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points,
Candidate A could be supported by as low as 44 percent of voters and Candidate B could have as
high as 47 percent of support. Therefore, Candidate A does not have a "lead."
The following table provides the unweighted sample sizes and the error estimate that has been
calculated in place of the margin of sampling error for a variable that is expected to have close to an
even split in most groupings (such as gender):
Group
Total sample

Unweighted N
8,706

Plus or minus
1.5 percentage points

Republican RVs
Democrat RVs

3,387
1,226

2.3 percentage points

3.7 percentage points

18-29
30-44
45-64
65+

1,247
2,679
3,177
1,603

3.7 percentage points

2.7 percentage points
2.4 percentage points
3.5 percentage points

White
Black
Hispanic
Other

6,631
737
682
656

1.7 percentage points

4.6 percentage points
4.9 percentage points
5.0 percentage points