Question: In your opinion, do you believe that the country is moving in the right direction or do you believe it has gotten off on the wrong track?

Post-debate: Oct. 7

All

Dem.

Ind.

Rep.

Men

Women

Right direction

34

11

17

67

39

31

Wrong track

54

79

61

21

52

55

Don’t know/Unsure

12

10

22

12

10

14

Pre-debate: Sept 29

All

Dem.

Ind.

Rep.

Men

Women

Right direction

35%

11

19

73

41

31

Wrong track

52%

79

56

17

50

54

Don’t know/Unsure

13%

10

26

10

  9

16

Question: How would you rate the job George W. Bush is doing as President—excellent, good, only fair, or poor?

Post-debate: Oct. 7

All

Dem

Ind.

Rep.

Men

Women

Excellent

15%

 3

  6

35

19

12

Good

25%

10

28

42

26

25

Only fair

22%

28

26

14

20

24

Poor

35%

58

35

  8

33

37

Don’t know/Unsure (vol)

  3%

 2

  6

  3

  3

 2

Pre-debate: Sept. 29

All

Dem

Ind.

Rep.

Men

Women

Excellent

16%

 2

  9

35

17

15

Good

29%

13

29

49

30

28

Only fair

24%

33

30

10

21

26

Poor

30%

51

26

  5

31

29

Don’t know/Unsure (vol)

  2%

 2

  6

  1

  2

 2

Question: How would you rate the job George W. Bush is doing handling the economy—excellent, good, only fair, or poor?

Post-debate: Oct. 7

All

Dem

Ind.

Rep.

Men

Women

Excellent

 8%

 1

  6

18

11

 5

Good

26%

 8

20

50

28

24

Only fair

24%

29

29

17

24

25

Poor

38%

61

38

12

33

43

Don’t know/Unsure (vol)

  3%

  1

  7

  4

  3

  4

Pre-debate: Sept. 29

All

Dem

Ind.

Rep.

Men

Women

Excellent

 9%

--

 1

23

10

 8

Good

27%

11

26

46

26

27

Only fair

27%

30

29

23

26

28

Poor

37%

59

39

 7

37

36

Don’t know/Unsure (vol)

 1%

--

  5

 1

  2

 1

Question: How would you rate the job George W. Bush is doing handling foreign affairs and national security—excellent, good, only fair, or poor?

Post-debate: Oct 7

All

Dem

Ind.

Rep.

Men

Women

Excellent

19%

 4

16

38

23

15

Good

23%

11

23

38

24

22

Only fair

17%

20

22

12

17

17

Poor

38%

63

33

10

34

41

Don’t know/Unsure (vol)

  3%

  3

  6

  3

  2

  4

Pre-debate: Sept. 29

All

Dem

Ind.

Rep.

Men

Women

Excellent

19%

 2

13

44

21

18

Good

23%

14

18

37

25

22

Only fair

19%

23

29

11

16

22

Poor

37%

59

34

  8

36

37

Don’t know/Unsure (vol)

 2%

 2

  6

--

  2

 2

Question:  Later this year, there will be an election for President of the United States. If the election were held today do you think you would vote for …. or …. [ROTATE] ?  If “unsure,” or “don’t know” ask “which way do you lean?”

Post-debate: Oct. 7

Base= 500 likely voters

All

Dem.

Ind.

Rep.

Men

Women

George Bush, the Republican Candidate

39

 9

26

79

43

36

      lean Bush

  2

 1

--

  4

  2

  2

John Kerry, the Democratic candidate

47

79

44

10

46

48

     lean Kerry

 2

 4

  2

  1

  3

 2

Nader or Other (vol.)

 2

 1

  6

  2

  4

 1

Don’t know (vol.)

 8

 7

 23

  4

  4

12

Pre-debate: September 29

Base= 489 likely voters

All

Dem.

Ind.

Rep.

Men

Women

George Bush, the Republican Candidate

41

11

35

85

45

38

      lean Bush

  3

 2

--

3

  1 

  4

John Kerry, the Democratic candidate

43

76

35

5

43

43

     lean Kerry

  2

  3

 3

1

  2

  2

Nader or Other (vol.)

  2

  --

 1

2

  2

  2

Don’t know (vol.)

10

  7

 25

4

  8

11

Question:  Are you satisfied with choice of candidates you have for President in this election or do you wish there were different candidates?

Post-debate: Oct. 7

All

Dem.

Ind.

Rep.

Satisfied

45

42

31

55

Wish for different choices

52

56

60

43

Don’t know (vol.)

  3

  2

10

  2

Pre-debate: Sept. 29

All

Dem.

Ind.

Rep.

Satisfied

41%

39

21

52

Wish for different choices

54%

59

68

42

Don’t know (vol.)

  5%

 3

11

  6

Question: In deciding their vote for president, people focus on different things. Which one of the following issues is the most important to you in deciding who to vote for for President…?

On that issue, _____, which candidate would do a better job?

Post-debate: Oct. 7

All

Dem

Ind

Rep

Men

Women

Bush

Kerry

N=

The state of the economy

21%

27

20

14

24

18

16

68

104

national security and the war on terror

44%

32

39

61

46

 43

65

27

222

quality of the environment

  2%

 2

  6

--

  1

  2

--

77

  9

providing health care insurance

11%

15

11

 8

11

12

17

60

57

improving education

  4%

 4

 3

 4

  4

  5

27

45

22

Other (vol)

  1%

 1

--

 1

  2

  1

None (vol.)

  1%

--

--

 1

  1

  1

All (vol.)

15%

17

20

 9

 11

17

Don’t know (vol.)

  1%

  1

  2

 1

   1

  1

Pre-debate: Sept. 29

All

Dem

Ind

Rep

Men

Women

Bush

Kerry

N=

The state of the economy

21%

23

23

18

27

16

31%

50%

101

national security and the war on terror

42%

28

37

61

42

42

66%

21%

204

quality of the environment

 3%

 5

 2

 1

  4

  2

9%

91%

13

providing health care insurance

11%

15

 7

 6

10

12

17%

62%

54

improving education

 5%

 5

 8

 3

  5

  4

24%

59%

22

Other (vol)

 2%

 4

-

 1

  1

  3

None (vol.)

 1%

--

--

 1

  1

--

All (vol.)

17%

20

23

 9

11

21

Don’t know (vol.)

--%

--

--

--

  1

--

Question: Now, in deciding their vote for president, people also focus on different qualities in a candidate.  Which one of the following qualities is most important to you in deciding who to vote for for President…?

And which candidate is better described by that quality…?

Post-debate: Oct. 7

All

Dem

Ind

Rep

Men

Women

Bush

Kerry

N=

Being a strong leader

30%

18

34

41

35

26

68

26

149

Understanding the concerns of the average person

20%

30

19

11

20

21

14

68

102

Honest and trustworthy

36%

38

32

35

34

38

36

42

180

Other (vol)

--

--

  3

 --

--

  1

None (vol.)

    --

--

--

  1

  1

--

All (vol.)

12%

12

13

12

10

14

Don’t know (vol.)

  1%

  1

--

  1

  1

  1

Pre-debate: Sept. 29

All

Dem

Ind

Rep

Men

Women

Bush

Kerry

N=

Being a strong leader

31%

24

23

44

29

32

67%

20%

150

Understanding the concerns of the average person

22%

31

19

11

26

19

16%

71%

108

Honest and trustworthy

 33%

32

41

34

33

33

39%

41%

162

Other (vol)

   1%

 2

--

--

 2

 1

None (vol.)

   1%

 1

 1

--

--

 1

All (vol.)

 11%

10

12

12

11

12

Don’t know (vol.)

   1%

 1

 3

--

  1

 1

Question: Recently two Presidential candidates held a debate. Did you personally watch or hear the debate or did you not have the chance?

All

Dem

Ind

Rep

Yes

81%

79

77

84

No

20%

21

23

16

Question: How much have you heard or read about what happened…?

All

Quite a lot

56%

Some

23%

Just a little

14%

Nothing

  6%

Question: Based on what you saw or read, which candidate do you think did better in the debate?

All

Dem

Ind

Rep

Most important issue is National Security (N=222)

Bush

15%

  4

14

29

24

Kerry

64%

83

53

45

56

Neither (vol)

  2%

  1

  6

  3

  5

Both equally/tie (vol)

  8%

  2

12

12

  6

Not sure (vol)

10%

  8

15

10

  9

Question: Now, regardless of which candidate you want to win, if you had to guess, who would you say is going to win the election for President in November… or …?

Post-debate: Oct. 7

All

Dem

Ind

Rep.

John Kerry

23%

37

23

 7

George Bush

56%

41

41

78

Don’t Know/Too close to call [vol]

21%

21

35

15

Pre-debate: Sept 29

All

Dem

Ind

Rep.

John Kerry

22%

34

18

 8

George Bush

66%

49

60

88

Don’t Know/Too close to call [vol]

13%

16

22

  4

Question: Regardless of who you think will win the national election, which candidate do you think will get the most votes in New Jersey?

Post-debate: Oct. 7

All

Dem

Ind

Rep.

John Kerry

64%

80

50

51

George Bush

20%

12

17

31

Don’t Know/Too close to call [vol]

16%

  8

32

18

Pre-debate: Sept 29

All

Dem

Ind

Rep.

John Kerry

60%

76

45

47

George Bush

24%

13

33

33

Don’t Know/Too close to call [vol]

16%

11

22

20