Our update to the Slate Election Scorecard yesterday focused on six new statewide polls from the USAToday/Gallup partnership. Their new poll in Rhode Island helped push our assessment of that state into the "lean" Democrat category. As always, we encourage you to read it all.
Separately, Gallup's Frank Newport posted an analysis on the Gallup site (free to non-subscribers through Wednesday) showing the results of an open-ended question asked on all six surveys of those supporting one of the candidates for Senate: "Why would you say you are voting for this candidate?" As is standard survey practice, the interviewers recorded responses verbatim, and Gallup later coded those responses into categories. Newport's analysis shows the results of those questions for each state, broken out by voters for each candidate.
But then it gets more interesting. I'll let Newport explain:
There are wide varieties of ways in which these data can be approached, and as a result a wide variety of conclusions that can be reached. Gallup Poll editors developed several important points about the reasons behind voters' choices for the Senate.
But in this situation, we thought some readers might have different approaches or insights, and that as a result it would be of interest to allow readers to suggest their own thoughts on these data, and to share those with us here at The Gallup Poll by responding to Talk to the Editors.
We will read all suggested responses, and post the most telling and insightful here on galluppoll.com next Wednesday.
And speaking of Frank Newport, his contribution to Guest Pollster's Corner last week provoked some interesting questions. Newport responded in the comments section yesterday. It's worth a click.