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CAINS GOP LEAD DISAPPEARS IN THIS WEEKS POLL:

ROMNEY NOW LEADS

One in five registered voters who plan to vote in a GOP primary or caucus next

year support businessman Herman Cain as their choice for the partys presidential

nomination, a drop from 26% last week. In this weeks Economist /YouGov Poll,

there has been yet another shift in GOP presidential preference: after leading the

field for the last few weeks, Cain now trails former Massachusetts Governor Mitt

Romney.

Preferred Republican Candidate for President

Perc

entofRegisteredVotersLikelytoVote

inRepublicanPrimaryorCaucus

"If you had to choose one, which of these individuals would you want to bethe Republican nominee for president in 2012?"

Perry: 7%

Romney: 24%

Cain: 21%

Gingrich: 16%

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Aug 2011 Sept 2011 Oct 2011 Nov 2011

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich remains in third place, with 16% sup-

port. The former frontrunner, Texas Governor Rick Perry is far back in the pack.

Perry fares about as well in this weeks poll as two other candidates do Minnesota

Congresswomen Michele Bachmann (herself once a frontrunner) and Perrys fellow

Texan Congressman Ron Paul.

In fact, Perry has the dubious distinction of being the only well-known Republi-

can candidate who receives as many unfavorable as favorable mentions from the

voters who will likely participate in next years delegate selection process. Nearly

all Republicans voters had an opinion of Perry; half were negative. (Former Utah

Governor John Huntsman also gets negative assessments from GOP voters, but far

WW W.YOUGOV.CO M 285 HAMILTON AVE , SUITE 200, PAL O ALTO, CA 94301 1

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fewer have an opinion of Huntsman than have an opinion of Perry.)

September 2427, 2011 November 58, 2011

50%

33%

17%

45%47%

8%

Favorable

Unfavorable

Don't know

(Registered voters who are likely to vote in a Republican primary or caucus only)

Do you have a favorable or an unfavorable

opinion of Rick Perry?

Less than two months ago, Republican voters had a different image of Perry: half

were favorable, and only a third were not. At that time, Perry was at the top of the

GOP field along with Romney and the then-yet-to-announce-his-non-candidacy

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Herman Cain is still the most popular Republican for those voters. Two-thirds of

them have a favorable opinion of him, more than say that about any of his oppo-

nents. Six in ten GOP voters like Gingrich and Romney.


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Herman Cain Newt Gingrich Mitt Romney

65%

25%

10%

60%

30%

10%

61%

30%

9%

Favorable

Unfavorable

Don't know

(Registered voters who are likely to vote in a Republican primary or caucus only)

Do you have a favorable or an unfavorableopinion of the following people?

Those three men fare similarly against President Barack Obama in fall 2012 match-

ups. The President continues to lead all three among all registered voters.

Mitt Romney Herman Cain Newt Gingrich

46%

42%

7% 7%

48%

38%

8% 7%

48%

41%

5% 6%

Barack Obama

Republican Candidate

Other

Not sure

If the 2012 presidential election were being held today,and the candidates were Barack Obama, the Democrat,

and the following Republican candidate, would you vote forBarack Obama or the Republican candidate?

(Registered voters only)


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REPUBLICAN VOTERS REJECT CHARGES AGAINST

CAIN; 55% WOULD CONSIDER VOTING FOR A

CANDIDATE ACCUSED OF HARRASSMENT

The recent allegations by several women about sexual harassment by Republi-

can presidential candidate Herman Cain have been met with scorn and skepticism

among many GOP voters. In fact, the latest Economist/YouGov Poll, conducted the

weekend after news reports of those charges appeared, finds many Republicans re-

jecting the womens claims and even saying that the charges are part of a smear

campaign by Cains GOP rivals.

Nearly every registered voter who plans to vote in a Republican primary or caucus

next year has heard of the charges of harassment, which were made during the pe-

riod Cain led the National Restaurant Association (93% have). By more than two to

one, they believe that Cain is not guilty of the charges, something Cain has claimed

all week long. However, the public overall is not so sure of his innocence.

All respondentsRegistered voters who are likelyto vote in a primary or caucus

33%

22%

45%

17%

41% 42%

Guilty

Not guilty

Not sure

Do you think Herman Cain is guilty of sexually harassing femaleemployees while he led the National Restaurant Association?

(Asked if respondent is aware of allegations against Cain)

Half of Republican voters say the charges are part of a smear campaign and have

come from rival GOP candidate operations. 43% of GOP voters believe that, and

only 22% do not. On this question, the public overall is not much different: 38% of


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all Americans say the charges are part of a smear campaign, 26% say they are not.

All respondentsRegistered voters who are likelyto vote in a primary or caucus

38%

26%

36%

43%

22%

34%

Agree

Disagree

Not sure

Herman Cain accused his opponents in the race for the Republicanpresidential nomination of spreading the stories about Cain'sunwanted sexual advances as part of a smear campaign against him.

Do you agree or disagree that the stories are part of asmear campaign organized by his political rivals?

(Asked if respondent is aware of allegations against Cain)

And GOP voters are much more likely than the public overall to say they would con-

sider voting for someone who had been accused of sexual harassment. Of course,

Cain has been leading the Republican field for the last few weeks, and though his

lead has disappeared in the last week, he remains near the top. 55% of Republican

voters would consider voting for a candidate against whom such accusations had

been made. Just 30% overall say that.


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All respondents

Registered voters who are likely

to vote in a primary or caucus

30%

42%

29%

55%

21%24%

YesNo

Not sure

Would you consider voting for a candidate for Presidentwho had been accused of sexual harassment?

76% FEAR NEGATIVE IMPACT OF EUROPEAN CRISIS

ON U.S. RECOVERY

Nearly eight in ten Americans have heard about the European debt crisis and

most of them worry that what happens in Europe will hurt the American economy.

But the latest Economist/YouGov Poll suggests that hardly any of them want the

U.S. to step in and financially help those European governments that are in trouble.

The worry stems in part from the continuing concern about the state of the Amer-

ican economy. Just 12% in this weeks poll think it is getting better; 45% say it is

still getting worse. So there may be little surprise that 76% believe the European

crisis likely will impact this country; only 4% say thats not likely to happen.


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Verylikely

Somewhatlikely

Neither likely,nor unlikely

Somewhatunlikely

Veryunlikely Not sure

38% 38%

10%

3%1%

9%

How likely is it that the European debt crisis willhurt the economic recovery in the U.S.?

(Asked if respondent is aware of European debt crisis)

But the principal response to the crisis is for the U.S. to stay out. Only 9% think

the U.S. should offer financial assistance, while 80% object to that. The opposition

includes all parties, and all income groups.

Definitelyyes

Probablyyes

Probablyno

Definitelyno Not sure

1%

8%

28%

52%

12%

In your opinion, should U.S. funds be used to help rescueEuropean governments facing financial crises?

(Asked if respondent is aware of European debt crisis)

Most Americans dont have much confidence in European government leaders when


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it comes to resolving the crisis. 37% are confident that those government leaders

can fix the problems, but 48% are not. However, there is little confidence in U.S.

leaders as well: President Obamas approval rating for handling the economy is just

30%.

AMERICANS SUPPORT TWO OBAMA JOBS SPECIFICS,

BUT REMAIN DUBIOUS ABOUT THE PLAN ITSELF

The Presidents approval rating remains in the low 40s. In this weeks Economist/YouGov

Poll, 42% approve of the way he is handling his job, while 52% disapprove.

Percento

fRespondents

"Do you approve or disapprove of the wayBarack Obama is handling his job as President?"

Obama Approval

Approve: 42%

Disapprove: 52%

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2009 2010 2011

However, the Presidents ratings in recent weeks are higher than they have been for

most of August and September. His approval rating then frequently languished in

the 30s.

One problem the President has faced in trying to fix the countrys economic prob-

lems is that there is a significant level of skepticism that some of his proposals will

do what he says. Just 27% think that his proposed jobs bill would create a signifi-

cant number of new jobs. 40% disagree, and the rest arent sure.


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Not sure

Havn't heard abouthis plan

Would not create a substantialnumber of new jobs

Would create a substantialnumber of new jobs

18%

15%

40%

27%

Recently, President Obama proposed a variety of measures tostimulate the economy and create jobs. Do you think that his jobs

package would create a substantial numberof new jobs in the U.S. or not?

But the answers here, as they are on many questions about the President, are mostly

partisan. Democrats are hopeful, Republicans are not. However, there are two spe-

cific proposals that get public support.

Nearly half the public supports $60 billion of highway and infrastructure spending,

financed by a surtax of 0.7% on million dollar incomes. 12% would favor the high-

way spending, but without the millionaires surtax. Just 16% oppose both parts ofthis proposal. Republicans are divided: while half of them oppose the surtax, 30%

favor it. And more than half would support infrastructure spending.


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Congress recently considered a measure to spend $60 billion on trans-portation infrastructure improvements. The highway, transit, rail, andaviation projects would be paid for by a 0.7% tax surcharge on annualincomes over $1 million. Do you favor or oppose this measure?

Party

Total Democrats Republicans Independents

Favor transportation spendingand favor the surcharge

on income earned

above $1 million 47% 63% 30% 52%

Favor transportation spending,

but oppose the surcharge

on income earned

above $1 million 12% 8% 23% 10%Oppose transportation spending

and surcharge on incomeearned above $1 million 16% 8% 27% 20%

Not sure 25% 21% 20% 17%

There is even more support for another Obama proposal this one is for tax breaks

to companies that hire veterans, with money coming from other Veterans Admin-

istration programs. 60% favor that, and only 11% oppose it. The support for this

proposal is far more bi-partisan.


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Favor Oppose Not sure

60%

11%

29%

Another measure before Congress would provide tax breaks of up to$9,600 for companies that hire veterans of the wars in Afghanistanand Iraq. The measure would also expand vocational rehabilitationbenefits for veterans. The bill would be paid for through existing

Department of Veterans' Affairs spending.Do you favor or oppose this measure?

AMERICANS REMAIN POSITIVE ABOUT OWS GOALS,

BUT DIVIDE WHEN ASSESSING DEMONSTRATORS

In the last week, some Occupy Wall Street protests ended in violence, with clashes

between police and demonstrators. But in the latest Economist/YouGov Poll, Amer-

icans remain positive about the movements goals, but those who say there have

been protests in their area are divided in their feelings about the demonstrators.

Members of the public who have heard of the movement continue to think posi-

tively about the movements goals. There has been more support than opposition

since the Economist/YouGov Poll first started measuring those opinions.


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PercentofRespondentsWhoAre

AwareofOccupyWallStreetMovement

Support for Occupy Wall Street"Generally speaking, do you support or oppose the goals

of the Occupy Wall Street movement?"

Neutral or Not Sure: 28%

Oppose: 31%

Support: 41%

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40

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October 2011 November 2011

Half of those aware of the movement say there have been protests in their area (with

Westerners the most likely to say that). 44% of those Americans have a favorable

view of the demonstrators in their community; 46% do not.

Very

favorable

Somewhat

favorable

Somewhat

unfavorable

Very

unfavorable Don't know

25%

19%

16%

30%

10%

Do you have a favorable or an unfavorable impression of

the Occupy protesters in your area?(Asked if respondent is aware of Occupy Wall Street movement

and there have been protests in respondent's area)


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