About the Tracking Polls

Previous Polls

• September 11-22
• September 2-12

Interviews with 748 likely voters, conducted September 21 - October 2, 1996

Likely Voters' Presidential Choice

Clinton Dole Perot	53% 36% 6%
Sampling error: +/-4 percentage points

Bill Clinton retains a comfortable lead over Bob Dole in the latest tracking poll figures, with 53% of likely voters choosing Clinton, 36% picking Dole, and 6% planning to vote for Perot. The boost Clinton got over the weekend as a result of violence in the Middle East and announcement of a White House summit has faded, leaving Clinton with a 17-point lead -- which, on average, is the same lead Clinton has had since the conventions ended. Clinton's lead has increased or decreased temporarily in response to isolated events such as the bombings in Iraq or the violence in the Middle East, but so far it has always returned to the 16- to 18-point level once the effects of those events have disappeared.

Suppose that the 1996 presidential election were being held today and it included Bill Clinton and Al Gore as the Democratic candidates, Bob Dole and Jack Kemp as the Republican candidates, and Ross Perot and Pat Choate as the Reform Party candidates. Would you vote for Bill Clinton and Al Gore, the Democrats -- Bob Dole and Jack Kemp, the Republicans -- or Ross Perot, the Reform Party candidate? (IF UNDECIDED:) As of today, do you lean toward Clinton and Gore, the Democrats, Dole and Kemp, the Republicans, or Perot, the Reform Party candidate?

Likely Voters
Clinton Dole Perot	9/22-24 51% 38% 5%	9/23-25 49% 39% 6%	9/24-26 48% 38% 6%	9/25-27 48% 39% 6%	9/26-28 51% 37% 6%	9/27-29 56% 34% 5%	9/28-30 57% 32% 5%	9/29-10/1 55% 34% 5%	10/1-2 53% 36% 6%

Question to Perot voters: Who would be your second choice for President -- Dole or Clinton?

Likely Voters
Clinton Dole	9/22-24 52% 40%	9/23-25 52% 41%	9/24-26 50% 41%	9/25-27 51% 41%	9/26-28 54% 39%	9/27-29 57% 36%	9/28-30 59% 34%	9/29-10/1 57% 35%	10/1-2 56% 37%

If the elections for Congress were being held today, which party's candidate would you vote for in your congressional district -- the Democratic party's candidate or the Republican party's candidate? (IF UNDECIDED: Do you lean more toward the Democratic party's candidate or the Republican party's candidate?)

Likely Voters

Democratic Republican	9/6-8 50% 40%	9/13-15 52% 42%	9/20-22 48% 45%	10/1-2 51% 43%
Sampling error: +/-4 percentage points

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling his job as President? (Reported for all Americans, not just those likely to vote.)
  

Approve Disapprove	9/7-9 60% 31%	10/1-2 58% 34%
Sampling error: +/-3 percentage points

Now thinking about some issues, do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling the economy? (Reported for all Americans, not just those likely to vote.)
 

Approve Disapprove	10/1-2 58% 35%
Sampling error: +/-3 percentage points

Now thinking about some issues, do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling foreign affairs? (Reported for all Americans, not just those likely to vote.)
 

Approve Disapprove	10/1-2 54% 36%
Sampling error: +/-3 percentage points

Now thinking about some issues, do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling the situation in the Middle East? (Reported for all Americans, not just those likely to vote.)
 

Approve Disapprove	10/1-2 52% 34%
Sampling error: +/-3 percentage points

Regardless of which presidential candidate you support, please tell me whether you think each of the following statements better applies to Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, or Ross Perot? Would do a better job handling the economy:
 

Clinton Dole Perot None*

10/1-2 44% 31% 18% 2%

Would do a better job handling foreign affairs:
 

Clinton Dole Perot None*

10/1-2 46% 41% 4% 2%

Shares your views on the size and role of government:
 

Clinton Dole Perot None*

10/1-2 42% 35% 11% 5%

Would provide the best moral leadership for the country:
 

Clinton Dole Perot None*

10/1-2 40% 44% 7% 4%

Currently has the best political campaign:
 

Clinton Dole Perot None*	10/1-2 70% 15% 3% 5%

* = Volunteered response. Sampling error: +/-3 percentage points

Other Results:

(Editor's Note: These are results of questions asked as part of some of the daily surveys.)

Sept. 27-29

Next, I will read off the names of some people in the news. As I read each name, please say whether you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of this person -- or if you have never heard of him.

Likely Voters
Bill Clinton Favorable Unfavorable	9/2-4 61% 34%	9/3-5 59% 35%	9/27-29 63% 33%

Overall, what kind of moral leadership do you think Bill Clinton provides as President -- very strong, somewhat strong, somewhat weak, or very weak?

Likely Voters
Very Strong Somewhat Strong Somewhat Weak Very Weak	9/27-29 14% 39% 23% 21%

Regardless of which presidential candidate you support, please tell me whether you think Bill Clinton or Bob Dole would better handle the problem of drug abuse.

Likely Voters
Clinton Dole Both/Neither*	9/27-29 44% 39% 10%

Next, please tell me how worried you are that Bill Clinton's policies in his second term would be more liberal than what he says they would be -- are you very worried, somewhat worried, not too worried, or not worried at all?

Likely Voters
Very Worried Somewhat Worried Not Too Worried Not Worried At All	9/27-29 21% 23% 27% 27%

There is an ad currently running on some television station in which Bill Clinton is shown talking to young people and answering a question about his past use of marijuana. Have you personally seen this ad?

Likely Voters
Yes No	9/27-29 56% 42%

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