The majority of Minnesotan think the state is heading in the right direction, but the nation is on the wrong track according to results from the SCSU Survey’s October survey results.
Fifty-nine percent of respondents believe the state is headed in the right direction as opposed to 25 percent who see it as going on the wrong track. This is an increase in confidence from 2016, when 53 percent felt the state was on the right track. It is the highest confidence level measured in the state in the past 17 years.
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The confidence level for the state far exceeded confidence in the direction of the nation. Only 23 percent of respondents felt that the nation is heading in the right direction, and 69 percent said they believe the nation is on the wrong track. This is a decline in people who feel the nation is on the right track of 8 percent from 2016’s poll and an increase of 10 percent in the number who feel the nation is on the wrong track.
Student caller Mary Dak makes a call during the 2016 fall survey.
The St. Cloud State University survey seeks Minnesotans views on political and social questions regarding major issues facing the nation. The calling is conducted by student callers with professors leading analysis and reporting of the data.
Political questions focused on the state of Minnesota and the country, the most important issues for the state and nation and whether
Democrats or Republicans will gain seats in next year’s congressional elections and Minnesota gubernatorial election and news preferences.
Respondents also chimed in on the issues they feel are the most important:
- 14 percent of respondents said health care was the most important issue at the state level, followed by taxes at 9 percent and education at 7 percent
- Elected officials were seen as the top problem facing the nation with 16 percent citing government reform or gridlock (additional respondents cited a particular politician or house as a problem and these were categorized under other), 9 percent citing health care, 8 percent citing race relations or discrimination and 5 percent citing the economy.
In the survey 46 percent of respondents identify as Democrats and 31 percent as Republican.
Job approval ratings were fairly consistent with last year’s ratings.
Gov. Mark Dayton’s disapproval rate increased slightly to 51 percent disapproving of his job performance. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken remained popular with respondents with 69 percent expressing approval of Klobuchar’s performance and 59 percent expressing approval of Franken’s job performance, although the survey was taken before sexual harassment allegations against Franken were made public.
Student caller Sarah Bustrom works during the 2016 fall survey.
Confidence levels were much lower for President Donald Trump with only 29 percent of respondents expressing approval for his job performance and 71 percent expressing disapproval with his performance. These confidence levels are much lower than the national averages reported by Real Clear Politics for the Month of November, which shows 39 percent approval for the president’s job performance and 56 percent disapproval nationwide.
Only the political responses have been evaluated from the fall survey with results of the other topics to be released at a later time.
Responses for the survey were gathered from 461 randomly-selected landline and cellphone adult users Oct. 17-30 at the 37-year-old St. Cloud State Survey Lab. See the full report for the complete methodology and findings.
