Rasmussen Reports Pressure for Third-Party Candidate Comes From Those Who Want Less Federal Spending
Wednesday, September 14, 2011 Some people think there is room for a radical centrist presidential candidate who would hold views somewhere between the views of President Obama and whoever the Republicans nominate to oppose him. However, a solid plurality of voters nationwide say that if there’s a third-party candidate, they’d like to see someone who proposes less government spending than both the president and the Republican challenger. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters hold this view. Only 11% would want to see a third-party candidate who proposed spending more than both the current president and the GOP nominee. Twenty-nine percent (29%) would like to see the radical centrist who proposes spending in the middle - between the two major party contenders. (To see survey question wording, _click here_ (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/questions/pt_survey_questions/september_2011/questions_third_party_candidat es_september_8_9_2011) .) Among those who think it’s a good time to consider a third-party candidate, the numbers are even more dramatic. Most (55%) of those longing for a third option are hoping for someone who would propose spending less than both the Republican and Democratic nominees. Voters see little chance of a third-party candidate being elected president next year, but 53% believe it’s at least somewhat likely that _a third-party candidate could win the presidency in the next 10 to 12 years_ (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/september_20 11/53_see_third_party_candidate_as_likely_president_in_next_10_to_12_years) . (Want a _free daily e-mail update_ (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/daily_updates) ? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on _Twitter_ (http://twitter.com/RasmussenPoll) or _Facebook_ (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Asbury-Park-NJ/Rasmussen-Reports/86959124863?ref=nf) . The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 8-9, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by_ Pulse Opinion Research, LLC_ (http://www.pulseopinionresearch.com/) . See methodology. Not surprisingly, there are partisan differences on this question. If there is to be a third-party candidate, 68% of Republicans think it should be someone who proposes less federal spending than the major party candidates. A solid plurality (45%) of unaffiliated voters share this view. However, a plurality of Democrats (35%) would prefer a third-party candidate who might propose spending levels in the middle. Thirty-seven percent (37%) of union members would prefer a third-party option who proposes less spending than Obama and his GOP challenger. Another 34% would prefer a third option in between the major party candidates. Among swing voters, 48% would like to see a more fiscally conservative option, while 35% would prefer someone in the middle. Most voters believe that _cutting government spending would be good for the economy_ (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/september_2011/60_expect_government_spending_to_go_up_under_obam a) . Sixty-four percent (64%) think thoughtful _spending cuts should be considered in every program of the federal government_ (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/federal_budget/september_2011/64_favor_loo king_for_spending_cuts_throughout_the_federal_government) as the nation searches for solutions to the budget crisis. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of voters favor _the $447 billion jobs plan the president introduced_ (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/september_2011/38_favor_obama_jobs_plan_36_oppose) to a joint session of Congress last Thursday evening. Nearly as many (36%) oppose the plan which includes the continuation of certain tax breaks, the passage of several stalled free trade agreements with other countries and new spending for education, infrastructure like roads and bridges and the further extension of unemployment benefits. Twenty-six percent (26%) are undecided about the plan. While the president is proposing increased infrastructure spending as part of his new jobs plan, a plurality (45%) of Americans believes the _government should cut spending for roads and highways_ (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/august_2011/45_say_government_s hould_reduce_spending_on_roads_and_highways_until_budget_is_balanced) until the federal budget is balanced. -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org
