Ipsos/Cook Political Report Poll: Support For Bush Trending Downward But Still Strong
President Bush Is In Good Position In The Long Run, But Recent Support For Bush And The Republicans Has Declined From Its Peak During The War In Iraq
Between June 3-5, 2003, and June 17-19, 2003, Ipsos-Public Affairs interviewed for the Cook Political Report a representative sample of 2,000 adult Americans nationwide, including 1,553 registered voters. The margin of error for the combined surveys is +/-2.2% for all adults, +/-2.5% for registered voters.
Washington, D.C. -- In interviews with 1,553 registered voters conducted June 3-5, 2003, and June 17-19, 2003, the Ipsos/Cook Political Report Poll finds support for George W. Bush and the Republicans trending downward during the 2nd quarter, but overall, Bush's support is still strong.
Increased Support For Bush Gained During The War In Iraq Is Now Gone
- During the war with Iraq, support for George W. Bush in the next election surged.
- The net difference between those who said they would definitely vote for Bush and those who said they would definitely vote for someone else was +19.
- However, the additional support for George W. Bush's reelection gained during the war is now gone.
- In the most recent Ipsos/Cook Political Report Poll, the net difference between those who said they would definitely vote for Bush and those who said they would definitely vote for someone else was +11.
- Support for Bush in the next election steadily declined through the first three quarters of 2002, before stabilizing in the 4th quarter.
- Support for Bush increased during the 2nd quarter, largely due to a sharp increase, during the war in Iraq, in the number of people who responded they would definitely vote to reelect Bush as President.
- Support for Republican control of Congress also reached a peak in April, during the war with Iraq.
- The net difference between those who said they would want the Republicans to win control of Congress and those who said they would want the Democrats to win control of Congress was +7.
- The Republican advantage has dissipated, as Americans now prefer Democratic control of Congress by a narrow margin.
- In the most recent Ipsos/Cook Political Report Poll, the net difference between those who said they would want the Republicans to win control of Congress and those who said they would want the Democrats to win control of Congress was -4.
