Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #18243

24 Hours After Pawlenty Enters 2012 Presidential Contest, He Fails to Carry Home State of Minnesota in Head-to-Head with Obama: In an election for President in the state of Minnesota today, 05/24/11, the day after Republican Tim Pawlenty officially announced his plan to run for president against Barack Obama in 2012, Pawlenty fails to carry his home state, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted exclusively for KSTP-TV in Minneapolis-St. Paul. In a hypothetical head-to-head matchup, Obama keeps Minnesota's electoral votes in the Democratic column, 48% to 43% -- not the vote of confidence Pawlenty may have been hoping for from those who know him. Minnesota has been a key battleground state the last several election cycles. Democrats carried MN by 10 points in 2008, by 3 points in 2004, and by 2 points in 2000. Republicans see MN as a key pick-up if they hope to re-take the White House and Pawlenty has little chance to win the White House if he does not carry his home state.
55% of Minnesotans see Pawlenty as either "very" or "somewhat qualified to be president. But: he has a net favorability rating of Minus 3 --- 35% have a favorable opinion of him, compared to 38% who have a negative opinion. MN Independents chose Obama 5:4 over Pawlenty; MN moderates chose Obama 2:1 over Pawlenty.
For perspective, and to give the Pawlenty campaign some comfort, presidential aspirant Michele Bachmann has a net favorability rating of Minus 28 in her home state of MN. Just 27% say she is qualified to be president. In a head-to-head hypothetical matchup against Obama today, Obama defeats Bachmann 57% to 32%.
Minnesota voters are divided on a possible amendment to the state constitution that would define marriage as being between one man and one women. 51% say they would vote for such an amendment if it were on the ballot, 40% say they would vote against. Cell Phone voters oppose; landline voters support.
Minnesota voters overwhelmingly favor a possible amendment to the state constitution that would require voters to present a photo ID when they show up to vote at an election.
State taxpayers 2:1 oppose reaching into their pockets to pay for a portion of the new Vikings Stadium.
Voters blame everyone for the lack of progress on a state budget. A plurality of voters, 36%, want elected officials to cut spending, followed closely by 31% who want legislators to tax the wealthy. But if there is a shutdown of the state government, Republicans, DFL legislators, and the Governor would all be at fault, voters tell SurveyUSA.