FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 19, 2012 INTERVIEWS: Tom Jensen 919-744-6312 IF YOU HAVE BASIC METHODOLOGICAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE E-MAIL [email protected], OR CONSULT THE FINAL PARAGRAPH OF THE PRESS RELEASE Sen. Levin secure against any Republican in 2014 Raleigh, N.C. – PPP's latest Michigan poll finds Democratic Senator Carl Levin sitting pretty with a net +11 point approval rating 46/35. While that number is very solid; Junior Senator Debbie Stabenow has even higher approval: 55/36. Relatively prominent Republicans in the State had poor name recognition among voters. U.S. Reps Justin Amash and Mike Rogers were seen as more unfavorable than favorable, 11/17 and 17/18 respectively. In both cases, over 65% of respondents had no opinion either way, which suggests familiarity is the issue, not necessarily favorability. Rep Candice Miller was the only Republican polled to receive a net positive favorability 34/23. Only 15% of voters knew State Sen. Roger Kahn well enough to have an opinion about him. State Attorney General Bill Schuette has a slight disapproval of 18/22, with 60% not sure. In hypothetical head-to-heads for the 2014 Senate seat, Carl Levin dominated against any potential Republican opponent. Poor name recognition is a clear factor: Candice Miller had the highest name recognition of all the Republicans polled; and she fared the best against Levin, 52/34. Amash performed second-best, 53/32. Kahn and Schuette each trail Levin by 22 points, 53/31 and 54/32 respectively. Rogers performed the worst-55/31. Michigan voters approve of the job President Obama is doing 53/44. Voters are more likely to be University of Michigan fans, than Michigan State fans- 44/30. 50% of respondents’ favorite NFL team is the Detroit Lions, followed by the Packers at 9% and the Browns at 8%. Some interesting gender breakdowns appeared: Carl Levin performed just as well among women as men 46/46. Candice Miller performed significantly better among men than women, 44/27. And Michigan has the same amount of male and female fans: 44/44. “If Carl Levin wants to run for another term in 2014 it looks like he’ll be pretty safe,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “And even if he doesn’t run the Republican bench doesn’t seem to be very strong.” PPP surveyed 650 Michigan voters from December 13th to 16th. The margin of error is +/- 3.8 percentage points. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews. Michigan Survey Results Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of President Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion Barack Obama’s job performance? of Bill Schuette? Approve .......................................................... 53% Favorable........................................................ 18% Disapprove...................................................... 44% Unfavorable .................................................... 22% Not sure .......................................................... 4% Not sure .......................................................... 60% Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Carl Q8 If the candidates for Senate in 2014 were Levin’s job performance? Democrat Carl Levin and Republican Justin Amash, who would you vote for? Approve .......................................................... 46% Carl Levin........................................................ 53% Disapprove...................................................... 35% Justin Amash .................................................. 32% Not sure .......................................................... 19% Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion Not sure .......................................................... 15% of Justin Amash? Q9 If the candidates for Senate in 2014 were 11% Democrat Carl Levin and Republican Roger Favorable........................................................ Kahn, who would you vote for? Unfavorable .................................................... 17% Carl Levin........................................................ 53% Not sure .......................................................... 72% Roger Kahn..................................................... 31% Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Roger Kahn? Not sure .......................................................... 17% 5% Q10 If the candidates for Senate in 2014 were Favorable........................................................ Democrat Carl Levin and Republican Candice Unfavorable .................................................... 10% Miller, who would you vote for? Not sure .......................................................... 85% Carl Levin........................................................ 52% Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion Candice Miller ................................................. 34% of Candice Miller? Not sure .......................................................... 14% 34% Favorable........................................................ Q11 If the candidates for Senate in 2014 were Unfavorable .................................................... 23% Democrat Carl Levin and Republican Mike Rogers, who would you vote for? Not sure .......................................................... 43% 55% Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion Carl Levin........................................................ of Mike Rogers? Mike Rogers.................................................... 31% Favorable........................................................ 17% Not sure .......................................................... 14% Unfavorable .................................................... 18% Not sure .......................................................... 65% December 13-16, 2012 3020 Highwoods Blvd. Survey of 650 Michigan voters Raleigh, NC 27604 [email protected] / 888 621-6988 Q12 If the candidates for Senate in 2014 were Q16 Would you describe yourself as very liberal, Democrat Carl Levin and Republican Bill somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat Schuette, who would you vote for? conservative, or very conservative? Carl Levin........................................................ 54% Very liberal...................................................... 11% Bill Schuette.................................................... 32% Somewhat liberal ............................................ 19% Not sure .......................................................... 15% Moderate......................................................... 29% Q13 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Somewhat conservative.................................. 24% Debbie Stabenow’s job performance? Very conservative ........................................... 17% Approve .......................................................... 55% Q17 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2. Disapprove...................................................... 36% Woman ........................................................... 54% Not sure .......................................................... 9% Man................................................................. 46% Q14 Do you consider yourself to be more of a Q18 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican, Michigan or Michigan State fan? press 2. If you are an independent or identify Michigan ......................................................... 44% with another party, press 3. Michigan State ................................................ 30% Democrat ........................................................ 38% Not sure .......................................................... 25% Republican...................................................... 28% Q15 Is your favorite NFL team the Chicago Bears, Independent/Other.......................................... 34% Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Q19 If you are white, press 1. If African-American, Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, press 2. If other, press 3. Indianapolis Colts, or Pittsburgh Steelers? White .............................................................. 79% Bears .............................................................. 7% African-American ............................................ 14% Bengals........................................................... 1% Other............................................................... 7% Browns............................................................ 8% Q20 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to Cowboys......................................................... 3% 45 years old, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If Lions ............................................................... 50% you are older than 65, press 4. 15% Packers........................................................... 9% 18 to 29........................................................... 24% Colts ............................................................... 1% 30 to 45........................................................... 41% Steelers........................................................... 5% 46 to 65........................................................... 20% Someone else/Not sure .................................. 16% Older than 65 .................................................. December 13-16, 2012 3020 Highwoods Blvd. Survey of 650 Michigan voters Raleigh, NC 27604 [email protected] / 888 621-6988 Crosstabs Ideology Ideology Very Som ew hat Som