Latest news with #ImpactResearch

Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Poll: Ramaswamy, Acton in dead heat for 2026 governor's race
Aug. 12—A new poll shows the 2026 Ohio governor's race is tight at this early stage. According to a new survey from Impact Research Republican Vivek Ramaswamy leads Democrat Amy Acton, 47-46 percent, with 7 percent undecided. Ramaswamy, a businessman who ran in the 2024 presidential election currently leads for his party's nomination, with his opponent Ohio Attorney General David Yost withdrawn from the race. He faces entrepreneur Heather Hill in the Republican primary. Trending * Westbound ramp of U.S. 52 to State Route 141 will be closed starting Monday * Two Hearts opens Ironton location Acton, who served as the state's health director during the 2020 beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, is the only announced Democrat seeking the governorship. While Ohio has voted straight Republican in all statewide races the past few elections, the race appear competitive, due to the candidates' favorability scores. The survey found that Acton has a 60 percent recognition of name ID among voters and is viewed positively by 33 percent of voters and negatively by 28 percent. Ramaswamy is known by 80 percent of voters and is viewed positively by 44 percent, with 41 percent having a negative view. The poll of 800 likely voters was conducted from July 24-28 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percent. Impact Research is a Democratic polling and strategy firm. The results of their survey are slightly closer than a Bowling Green State University poll, taken in April, which had Ramaswamy leading 50-45 percent. Trending * Studio Dara grand reopening set for Sept. 5 * Citizenship Awards presented You Might Like News Westbound ramp of U.S. 52 to State Route 141 will be closed starting Monday Business Two Hearts opens Ironton location Business Studio Dara grand reopening set for Sept. 5 News Citizenship Awards presented Solve the daily Crossword


New York Post
11-08-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Jersey City mayor's race neck and neck for Solomon and McGreevy: new poll
Jersey City's mayoral race is neck and neck as local Councilman James Solomon has made double-digit gains on former Gov. Jim McGreevey in the past year, a new poll shows. Solomon gained 10 points on McGreevey between August 2024 and July 2025, jumping from 16% to 26% in winning over voters, according to the Impact Research poll shared with The Post by Solomon's camp. McGreevey, on the other hand, dropped a point during that time — landing him with 27% of the vote as of August. Advertisement Jersey City Councilman James Solomon (left) and former Gov. Jim McGreevey and almost perfectly tied in the race. That makes the race for Jersey City's leadership a 1-point game between the two Democratic candidates among decided voters just months ahead of the November election. About 22% of voters remains undecided, the poll found. Advertisement 'The reason James Solomon is rising in the polls and is going to win this election while others stall is simple: This is a change election, and James is the only real change candidate,' Solomon's campaign manager, Stuart Thomas, told The Post. 'James has run a campaign laser-focused on the issues that matter to Jersey City, housing affordability, cost of living, and creating a better quality of life for everyone, and we're going to keep hammering that from now until November,' he added. Solomon's name recognition has also soared in the past year, the poll found — with 73% of voters knowing his name as of August, compared to 45% the year before. Advertisement McGreevey's scandal-plagued past has dogged him since he announced his run in 2023, with the poll finding his favorability among voters split almost evenly. About 43% of respondents said they look on him favorably, with 44% viewing him as unfavorable. The former governor's mayoral bid marked a return to politics since he resigned from leading New Jersey in 2004 after he was caught having an extramarital affair with a male staffer. Jersey City's incumbent mayor, Steven Fulop declined to run for re-election in favor of a gubernatorial bid.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats tested immigration messaging in battleground districts. Here's what they found.
A survey of likely voters seeks to offer Democrats a blueprint for how to punch back on an issue that's vexed them in recent elections: immigration. The poll, conducted in key 2026 battleground districts by Democratic-leaning groups Way to Win and Impact Research and shared first with POLITICO, argues that Democrats — with the right messaging — can drive down President Donald Trump's strength on immigration by a net 10 percentage points. The poll does not shy away from Democrats' overall poor standing on the issue. Republicans overall have an 11-percentage-point net negative job rating on immigration (43 percent approve versus 54 percent disapprove), but Democrats have a 58-percentage-point net negative rating on the issue (19 percent approve versus 77 disapprove). Democrats can turn the tide, the message testing found, by playing up Trump's overreach and disregard for the rule of law that they say threatens citizens and noncitizens alike as he carries out his mass deportations. But many Democrats would rather avoid the topic. 'Coming into and out of the 2024 cycle, Democrats were silent — completely — on immigration,' said Tory Gavito, president of Way to Win. 'There was just no response at all. This poll is to show Democrats that when they point out how enforcement has failed, they can attack Trump on one of his most favorable policies.' The survey, conducted in more than 70 key congressional districts, including the 26 'frontline' member list of top House Democratic-held seats the party hopes to defend next cycle, found a weakness for Trump. His initial job rating, which started with 50 percent positive versus 49 percent negative on immigration, dropped to 45 percent positive and 54 percent negative after emphasizing overreach messaging. The survey used specific examples, like the deportation of a person in the country legally 'but deported and sent to a prison in El Salvador because of their autism awareness tattoowas wrongly identified as a gang tattoo' — or a 10-year-old U.S. citizen deported because her parents were undocumented. Researchers say Democrats have plenty ammunition on the issue. They found policies that separate families and impact children among the most salient issues among respondents. A large majority, 74 percent, of respondents who oppose revoking visa and green cards from people without proof of committing a crime. And nearly eight in 10 respondents do not support sending U.S. citizens to foreign prisons. 'Voters view Trump's policies on immigration and his enforcement of immigration differently — there's a gap,' said Molly Murphy, president of Impact Research. 'They are more supportive of what Trump wants to do on immigration … from a policy standpoint, than how he's actually going about it.' Of course, getting voters engaged on the specifics of Trump's immigration policies can be a challenge. Public polling shows voters who haven't heard much about the high-profile cases are more likely to approve of the president. The poll, conducted May 6-11 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent, does not capture reactions to the widespread protests in Los Angeles. The showdown between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Trump administration's deployment of the state's National Guard has also centered on the president's overreach. 'Democrats shouldn't be focused on protesters right now,' Murphy said. "We should be talking about the people he's deporting: people here legally, people here with no criminal records, people who have proof of citizenship and not make this a fight about protesters, because that's what he wants.' Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) said the party needs to " keep those stories in the news.' and plans to hold a briefing on the survey findings for members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus early next week on Capitol Hill. 'Trump wants to highlight the chaos that he is helping stoke in LA," Cesar added. "Democrats should be making sure that more of the focus is on the immigration overreach that has everyday people … deeply upset and deeply troubled.'


Politico
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Democrats tested immigration messaging in battleground districts. Here's what they found.
A survey of likely voters seeks to offer Democrats a blueprint for how to punch back on an issue that's vexed them in recent elections: immigration. The poll, conducted in key 2026 battleground districts by Democratic-leaning groups Way to Win and Impact Research and shared first with POLITICO, argues that Democrats — with the right messaging — can drive down President Donald Trump's strength on immigration by a net 10 percentage points. The poll does not shy away from Democrats' overall poor standing on the issue. Republicans overall have an 11-percentage-point net negative job rating on immigration (43 percent approve versus 54 percent disapprove), but Democrats have a 58-percentage-point net negative rating on the issue (19 percent approve versus 77 disapprove). Democrats can turn the tide, the message testing found, by playing up Trump's overreach and disregard for the rule of law that they say threatens citizens and noncitizens alike as he carries out his mass deportations. But many Democrats would rather avoid the topic. 'Coming into and out of the 2024 cycle, Democrats were silent — completely — on immigration,' said Tory Gavito, president of Way to Win. 'There was just no response at all. This poll is to show Democrats that when they point out how enforcement has failed, they can attack Trump on one of his most favorable policies.' The survey, conducted in more than 70 key congressional districts, including the 26 'frontline' member list of top House Democratic-held seats the party hopes to defend next cycle, found a weakness for Trump. His initial job rating, which started with 50 percent positive versus 49 percent negative on immigration, dropped to 45 percent positive and 54 percent negative after emphasizing overreach messaging. The survey used specific examples, like the deportation of a person in the country legally 'but deported and sent to a prison in El Salvador because of their autism awareness tattoo was wrongly identified as a gang tattoo' — or a 10-year-old U.S. citizen deported because her parents were undocumented. Researchers say Democrats have plenty ammunition on the issue. They found policies that separate families and impact children among the most salient issues among respondents. A large majority, 74 percent, of respondents who oppose revoking visa and green cards from people without proof of committing a crime. And nearly eight in 10 respondents do not support sending U.S. citizens to foreign prisons. 'Voters view Trump's policies on immigration and his enforcement of immigration differently — there's a gap,' said Molly Murphy, president of Impact Research. 'They are more supportive of what Trump wants to do on immigration … from a policy standpoint, than how he's actually going about it.' Of course, getting voters engaged on the specifics of Trump's immigration policies can be a challenge. Public polling shows voters who haven't heard much about the high-profile cases are more likely to approve of the president. The poll, conducted May 6-11 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent, does not capture reactions to the widespread protests in Los Angeles. The showdown between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Trump administration's deployment of the state's National Guard has also centered on the president's overreach. 'Democrats shouldn't be focused on protesters right now,' Murphy said. 'We should be talking about the people he's deporting: people here legally, people here with no criminal records, people who have proof of citizenship and not make this a fight about protesters, because that's what he wants.' Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) said the party needs to " keep those stories in the news.' and plans to hold a briefing on the survey findings for members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus early next week on Capitol Hill. 'Trump wants to highlight the chaos that he is helping stoke in LA,' Cesar added. 'Democrats should be making sure that more of the focus is on the immigration overreach that has everyday people … deeply upset and deeply troubled.'
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Whitmer Gets ‘Trump Bump' for Cozying Up to President
Governor Gretchen Whitmer faced a fierce backlash for cozying up to Donald Trump in her effort to deliver for Michigan, but her gamble could be paying off. The Michigan Democrat is one of the many floated as a potential 2028 presidential contender who has had to grapple with how to navigate dealing with the president as part of their job. But new polling shows Americans appear to back how she's been handling the complicated relationship. Impact Research found the governor has a 63 percent positive job rating, the highest the poll has ever seen. What could be a backhanded Trump bump comes after Whitmer put politics aside and headed to Washington. Whitmer's first cringe moment came when she found herself standing awkwardly on the sidelines inside the Oval Office while Trump spoke with reporters last month. The governor looked uncomfortable and at one point even covered her face with folders, which ended up being captured on camera. She said she didn't want her picture taken, but defended showing up at the White House. Weeks later, Whitmer said she had secured a new fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County and showed up for the announcement event with Trump, where she spoke alongside the president. The two shared a hug when Whitmer greeted Trump at the airport. During his speech, the president praised her for bringing the issue to his attention and for doing a 'good job.' The reaction to the speech was fast and furious. Some Democrats blasted the governor for accommodating Trump in any capacity, as they see him as a threat to the country and democracy. Whitmer pushed back that she had not abandoned her values but was putting 'service above self.' She has also been critical of the president's chaotic tariff plans. Turns out, Michiganders in the Trump-won state support her approach. 90 percent of Democrats have a positive view of her, Impact Research found, while 66 percent of Independents do. Even 35 percent of Republicans have a positive view of the governor. 'Michiganders want her to continue her approach of working with President Trump when it's good for Michigan while standing up to him when she disagrees,' the polling memo read. It found that given two choices, 60 percent support her approach to working with the president, where she could and pushing back at other points, while only 27 percent said she should stand up to Trump more. Overall, 58 percent said she is taking the right approach to working with Trump, 61 percent said she was focused on the right problems, and 63 percent viewed her favorably for getting things done. Whitmer might be one of the few Democrats who never got a nasty Trump nickname, but she's not the only Democratic state leader and potential 2028 hopeful who has had to find a way to deal with Trump. California Governor Gavin Newsom met Trump on the tarmac in California in January when he came to tour areas devastated by wildfires. The following month, Newsom met with the president to press for further aid at the White House. Their California meeting resulted in a tenser picture with a firm handshake, an exchange of words on the runway, and a kiss for First Lady Melania. There weren't images from the White House visit. But Newsom, who Trump has frequently blasted as 'Newscum' has not avoided the wrath of some Democrats for his approach to the president, as he too has signaled a willingness to find areas where he can work with the president.