FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 11, 2015 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 Sports Issues Unite Ohio Voters Across Party Lines Raleigh, N.C. – Republicans and Democrats rarely find common ground on controversial issues. However, in a recent Public Policy Polling survey Ohioans agreed 64/17 that Pete Rose should be inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Democrats are in favor of giving the MLB career hits leader the honor 59/18. Independents support Rose 63/22 while Republicans show even greater support at 69/16. Similarly, Republicans and Democrats are united in support for the Cleveland Cavaliers 54/5 and 56/6 respectively as they take on the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. Both parties also view Akron native LeBron James favorably at a rate of 63/8 among Democrats and 57/15 among Republicans. The rivalry between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines may be responsible for 30% of voters having a negative opinion of the state of Michigan. Among other surrounding states voters had a favorable view of Kentucky 48/20, Pennsylvania 54/10, West Virginia 45/15, and Indiana 39/17. There is a notable partisan divide between Republicans (47/11) and Democrats (36/19) in how favorably each views Indiana. This may be due to differing opinions on Indiana’s controversial and much- publicized Religious Freedom Restoration Act. House Speaker John Boehner is very unpopular in his home state, attracting faint support for his leadership even among Republican voters. Overall just 26% of voters approve of the job he’s doing to 55% who disapprove. While he’s on narrowly positive ground within his own party (45/38) he’s exceedingly disliked by Democrats (14/67) and independents (16/62) alike. “There’s never been as much attention paid to how much voters dislike John Boehner as there was when Nancy Pelosi was Speaker,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “But even in his own state voters are quite unified in their displeasure with his leadership.” Public Policy Polling surveyed 859 registered Ohioan voters from June 4th-7th. The margin of error for this survey was 3.3% +/-. 80% of participants responded via the phone, while 20% of respondents who did not have landlines conducted the survey over the internet. Phone: 888 621-6988 Web: www.publicpolicypolling.com Email: [email protected] Ohio Survey Results Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of the job House q6 Do you support or oppose making taxpayer Speaker John Boehner is doing? funded for profit charter schools follow the same transparency laws as public schools? Approve .......................................................... 26% Support making taxpayer funded for profit Disapprove...................................................... 55% charter schools follow the same transparency laws as public schools .................................... 69% Not sure .......................................................... 19% Oppose making taxpayer funded for profit Q2 Would you support or oppose the US adopting charter schools follow the same transparency the metric system? laws as public schools .................................... 17% Support adopting the metric system................ 23% Not sure .......................................................... 14% Oppose adopting the metric system................ 56% q7 Are you rooting for the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Golden State Warriors in the NBA finals, or Not sure .......................................................... 21% do you not care? q3 Do you support or oppose the University of 55% Akron rebranding itself as Ohio’s Polytechnic Cleveland Cavaliers........................................ University? Golden State Warriors .................................... 4% Support the rebranding ................................... 22% Don't care ....................................................... 41% Oppose the rebranding ................................... 21% q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of LeBron James? Not sure .......................................................... 58% 59% q4 Do you support or oppose a Constitutional Favorable........................................................ Amendment reforming the process by which Unfavorable .................................................... 11% Ohio draws its State Legislative districts that 29% requires that the decision on district maps be Not sure .......................................................... bipartisan, and that communities can not be q9 What is your favorite Major League Baseball divided up? team: the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Support this proposal to reform the way in Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland which Ohio draws its State Legislative Indians, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, districts ........................................................... 41% Pittsburgh Pirates, or some other team? Oppose this proposal to reform the way in Atlanta Braves ................................................ 2% which Ohio draws its State Legislative districts ........................................................... 20% Boston Red Sox.............................................. 3% Not sure .......................................................... 39% Chicago Cubs ................................................. 6% q5 Do you support or oppose expanding early Cincinnati Reds............................................... 26% childhood education for all children in Ohio? 33% Support expanding early childhood education Cleveland Indians ........................................... 61% for all children in Ohio ..................................... Detroit Tigers .................................................. 4% Oppose expanding early childhood education 4% for all children in Ohio ..................................... 24% New York Yankees.......................................... 3% Not sure .......................................................... 15% Pittsburgh Pirates ........................................... Other team / Not a baseball fan ...................... 19% June 4-7, 2015 3020 Highwoods Blvd. Survey of 859 Ohio voters Raleigh, NC 27604 [email protected] / 888 621-6988 q10 (Among Indians fans) Do you approve or q15 (Among Bengals fans) Do you approve or disapprove of the job Terry Francona is doing disapprove of the job Marvin Lewis is doing as as manager? coach? Approve .......................................................... 53% Approve .......................................................... 52% Disapprove...................................................... 3% Disapprove...................................................... 9% Not sure .......................................................... 45% Not sure .......................................................... 39% q11 (Among Reds fans) Do you approve or q16 (Among Browns fans) Do you approve or disapprove of the job Bryan Price is doing as disapprove of the job Mike Pettine is doing as manager? coach? Approve .......................................................... 18% Approve .......................................................... 50% Disapprove...................................................... 18% Disapprove...................................................... 5% Not sure .......................................................... 64% Not sure .......................................................... 44% q12 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion q17 (Among Browns fans) Given the choices of of Pete Rose? Thaddeus Lewis, Johnny Manziel, Josh 53% McCown, and Connor Shaw who would you Favorable........................................................ most like to see as the Browns Quarterback Unfavorable .................................................... 20% this season? Not sure .......................................................... 27% Thaddeus Lewis.............................................. 11% q13 Do you think Pete Rose should be in the Johnny Manziel............................................... 25% Baseball Hall of Fame, or not? Josh McCown ................................................. 22% Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame........ 64% Connor Shaw .................................................. 8% Pete Rose should not be in the Hall of Fame.. 17% Someone else................................................. 10% Not sure .......................................................... 20% Not sure .......................................................... 24% q14 What is your favorite NFL team: the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, q18 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis of Johnny Manziel? Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, or Seattle Favorable........................................................ 18% Seahawks? Unfavorable .................................................... 36% Cincinnati Bengals .......................................... 17% Not sure .......................................................... 46% Cleveland Browns........................................... 37% Dallas Cowboys .............................................. 6% Detroit Lions.................................................... 2% Green Bay Packers......................................... 3% Indianapolis Colts ..........................................