Your monthly support provides voters the knowledge they need to make confident decisions at the polls. Donate today.
Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for April 5, 2021
The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
April 5, 2021: Sixty percent (60%) of voters nationwide believe that legal immigration is good for the United States, but illegal immigration is bad. A Scott Rasmussen survey found that 16% believe both forms of immigration are good, while 13% believe both are bad. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure.[1]
The view that legal immigration is good, while illegal immigration is bad, is shared by a plurality or majority of every measured demographic group but one. Very liberal voters are split between those who see all immigration as good (42%) and those who see a distinction between legal and illegal border crossings (39%).[1]
However, despite the majority view being shared across demographic and partisan lines, there are significant distinctions within certain groups. For example, 33% of Hispanic voters believe both legal and illegal immigration is good. Just 11% say both forms are bad. But both white and Black voters are evenly split between the number who say all immigration is good and those who say it is all bad.[1]
One perhaps surprising finding is that those who would prefer a candidate supporting Donald Trump's policies are more likely than others to make the distinction between legal and illegal immigration. Seventy-five percent (75%) of such Trump policy voters believe legal immigration is good, while illegal immigration is bad. That view is shared by 71% who prefer traditional Republican candidates, 50% who would prefer Bernie Sanders' type of policies, and 46% who prefer traditional Democratic candidates.[1]
This appears to conflict with the perception that Trump voters are opposed to all immigration. That perception may be the result of the fact that 21% of voters who prefer Trump's policies believe both forms of immigration are bad. Just 2% believe both forms are good. Other voters are more likely to say that both forms of immigration are good rather than bad. Still, a solid majority of Republican respondents and independents make a distinction between legal and illegal immigration, as do 49% of Democratic respondents.[1]
Support for policies of a certain candidate was determined by the following question: Suppose you had a choice between four presidential candidates. All four had equal skills and temperament. Would you prefer a Republican who supported policies like President Trump, a more traditional Republican, a Democrat who supported policies similar to Senator Bernie Sanders, or a more traditional Democrat?[1]
Over the past six months, responses to this question show that on the GOP side of the aisle, Trump policies are strongly preferred over those of a traditional Republican. Democrats, on the other hand, are evenly divided between those who favor traditional Democrats and candidates pursuing Sanders' policies.
Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.
- April 2, 2021 -78% of voters celebrate Easter
- April 1, 2021 -47 percent of Americans belong to a church, synagogue, or mosque
- March 31, 2021 –51% of voters want focus on economic growth, 35% want focus on fairness
- March 30, 2021 -34 percent of voters believe the federal government supports America’s founding ideals
- March 29, 2021 -87% of national media coverage of COVID was negative
- To see other recent numbers, check out the archive.
Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia weekdays at 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Click here to check out the latest update.
The Number of the Day is broadcast on local stations across the country. An archive of these broadcasts can be found here.
Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
Ballotpedia is the nonprofit, nonpartisan Encyclopedia of American Politics.
See also
Footnotes
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
