MONTANA SURVEY of 500 likely voters

Tuesday, February 7, 2006

1* Now… thinking about the General election for the United States Senate, suppose that Republicans nominate Conrad Burns and Democrats nominate Jon Tester. If the election were held today, would you vote for Republican Conrad Burns or for Democrat Jon Tester?

                46% Burns

46% Tester           

                                  4% some other candidate

                                  4% not sure

2* Okay… what if the Democrats nominate John Morrison? If the election were held today, would you vote for Republican Conrad Burns or for Democrat John Morrison?

43% Burns

50% Morrison      

                                  3% some other candidate

                                  3% not sure

3* Do you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable impression of:

4* Changing topics…who do you trust more when it comes to the situation in Iraq and national security—President Bush or Democrats in Congress?

51% President Bush

40% Democrats in Congress

  9% not sure

5* Okay… who do you trust more when it comes to managing the economy—President Bush or Democrats in Congress?

47% President Bush

45% Democrats in Congress

  8% not sure

6* Moving to a different topic… When it comes to determining how you will vote in the U.  S. Senate race this year, how important is the situation in Iraq?

58% very important

30% somewhat important

  7% not very important

  3% not at all important

  3% not sure

7* Okay… how important is the issue of health care?

65% very important

26% somewhat important

  7% not very important

  1% not at all important

  1% not sure

8* Fine, as a voting issue, how important is the economy?

71% very important

26% somewhat important

  3% not very important

  1% not at all important

  0% not sure

9* One more… how important is the issue of developing alternative sources of energy?

75% very important

18% somewhat important

  5% not very important

  2% not at all important

  1% not sure

10* Okay… in determining how you will vote, which of the following issues is the most important issue is more important… the situation in Iraq, the economy, health care, or developing alternative sources of energy?

31% the situation in Iraq

                                28% the economy

                                17% health care

                                17% energy

  6% not sure

                11* Suppose you had to choose between the situation in Iraq and the economy. Which of those issues is most important?

                                51% the situation in Iraq

                                42% the economy

                                  7% not sure

                12* Looking ahead a year from now, will things in the United States be better, worse, or about the same?

                                21% better

                                35% worse

45% not sure

13* How would you rate the job George W. Bush has been doing as President… do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove of the job he’s been doing?

                                31% strongly approve

                                20% somewhat approve

                                11% somewhat disapprove

                                37% strongly disapprove

                                  1% not sure

14* How would you rate the job Brian Schweitzer has been doing as Governor… do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove of the job he’s been doing?

                                38% strongly approve

                                36% somewhat approve

                                17% somewhat disapprove

                                  7% strongly disapprove

                                  2% not sure

NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.