WASHINGTON (CNN) — Just three days before the start of Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearings, a new national poll indicates that by a narrow margin, Americans would like the Senate to confirm her as the next Supreme Court justice.

In a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Friday morning, 47 percent of people questioned would like to see the Senate vote in favor of Sotomayor's confirmation, with 40 percent opposed and 13 percent unsure.

Sotomayor, a New York federal appeals court judge, was nominated by President Barack Obama in May to succeed retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter.

The poll suggests a partisan divide, with nearly seven in 10 Democrats supporting Sotomayor's confirmation, Independents split, and nearly two out of three Republicans opposing Senate confirmation.

"Republican opposition to Sotomayor's confirmation is a higher level of opposition from the party out of power than any Supreme Court nominee has faced
in the past two decades," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.

Only 32 percent of Republicans opposed Ruth Ginsburg's 1993 nomination by President Bill Clinton to the high court, Holland said.

"In 2005, when it was the GOP's turn to appoint justices, only 35 percent of Democrats opposed John Roberts, and 46 percent of Democrats opposed Samuel Alito the following year," Holland said. "And even when Bush nominated Harriet Miers, opposition among Democrats to her confirmation hit only 53 percent."

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The Iowa Republican Party wants Sarah Palin to visit its state.

(CNN) — Who wouldn't want a big name to headline a major fundraiser? And the Iowa Republican Party is going after one of the biggest draws right now, Sarah Palin.

As first reported in the Des Moines Register and confirmed by CNN, the state GOP is courting the Alaska governor to be the keynote speaker at their annual Ronald Reagan dinner this autumn. The event is the party's largest fundraiser of the year, and has become a popular stop for White House hopefuls.

Aides to Palin have not immediately responded to inquires from CNN regarding whether the outgoing governor will attend the dinner.

Palin shocked many across the country last week when she announced that she would not only not run for re-election next year, but that she would resign as governor later this month.

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Obama still inspires confidence — but his leadership marks are slipping.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – President Barack Obama still inspires confidence, but a new national poll indicates that the number of Americans who say he is a strong leader and is tough enough to handle a crisis has dropped significantly over the past few months.

Seventy-two percent of people questioned in a CNNCNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Thursday morning (PDF) believe Obama inspires confidence. That's down three percentage points from a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll conducted in February.

Seven out of 10 also said the president is a strong and decisive leader. But that figure is down 10 percentage points from the opening days of Obama's presidency. Sixty-four percent said that Obama is tough enough to handle a crisis, down nine percentage points from February.

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Seven in 10 Americans said Sarah Palin's decision to resign had no impact on their opinion of her, according to a new poll.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — It was a stunning announcement that caught many across the country completely by surprise.

Now, four days after Sarah Palin announced that she will step down later this month as governor of Alaska, a new national poll by USA Today/Gallup indicates that seven in 10 Americans say Palin's decision had no affect on their opinion of her.

The survey also suggests a wide partisan split over whether respondents would likely vote for Palin if she decides to run for the White House in 2012. More than seven in 10 Republicans said they would be likely to vote for Palin for the presidency. That number drops to 34 percent among independents and to 17 percent among Democrats.

"Many Americans have deeply-held opinions about Palin as a result of the national campaign in 2008," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Assuming Palin decides to run for the White House in 2012, public opinion is less likely to be affected by her resignation, and more likely to be swayed by what she does once she leaves office."

CNN radio reports on the public response to Palin's move:

The USA Today/Gallup poll was conducted Monday, three days after Palin announced that she would resign as governor, with 1,000 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

(CNN) – The first woman to serve as New Hampshire attorney general announced Tuesday that she's stepping down in order to explore a run for the U.S. Senate.

"Recently, many New Hampshire citizens have urged me to run for United States Senate," Republican Kelly Ayotte said in a statement. "I appreciate their confidence in me. After discussing this matter with my husband, Joe, and our family, I have decided to resign as Attorney General in order to explore a campaign for the United States Senate."

Ayotte has served as New Hampshire's attorney general for five years. She was first appointed to the post by Republican Gov. Craig Benson, and later re-appointed by Democrat and current Gov. John Lynch.

The seat she may run for is currently held by Republican Sen. Judd Gregg, who is not running for re-election next year. Last week, former Republican Sen. John Sununu announced he would not run for Gregg's seat.

Ayotte says her resignation takes effect on Friday July 17, and that she'll discuss her future political plans after she leaves the Attorney General's office.
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President Obama's approval rating is down 13 points in Ohio, according to a new poll.

(CNN) – A new poll suggests that Barack Obama's approval rating is dropping rapidly in Ohio, a crucial battleground in the race for the White House, and a state with a U.S. Senate seat and governorship up for grabs next year.

Forty-nine percent of those questioned in a Quinnpiac University survey released Tuesday say they approve of how Obama's handling his duties as president. That's down 13 points from a Quinnipiac University poll of Ohio voters conducted in May. Forty-four percent of those questioned disapprove of Obama's job as president, up 13 points from May.

The survey also indicates that by a narrow 48 percent to 46 percent margin — within the range of the survey's 2.8 percent sampling error — Ohio voters disapprove of how Obama's handing the economy. In May, 57 percent approved of how Obama was handling the economy.

"The economy in Ohio is as bad as anywhere in America. These numbers indicate that for the first time voters have decided that President Barack Obama bears sole responsibility for their problems," says Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
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WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Republican Governors Association Tuesday announced it raised more than $12.2 million dollars for the first six months of the year.

The RGA's announcement came just hours after the Democratic Governors Association announced that they raised a record-breaking $11.6 million in the first six months of the year.

The RGA also reported having a record $20.4 million cash on hand.

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(CNN) — A new poll of Ohio voters indicates that the recession is taking a toll on Gov. Ted Strickland's approval rating, and could make his bid for re-election next year more difficult.

Forty-six percent of those questioned in a Quinnipiac University survey released Friday say they approve of how Strickland's handling his duties as governor of Ohio, 4 points higher than the 42 percent who disapprove. The 46 percent approval rating is down 11 points from two months ago, and marks the lowest approval rating for Strickland since February 2007, one month after he took office.

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Former President Bill Clinton is set to attend a fundraiser for Rep. Carolyn Maloney.

(CNN) — Former President Bill Clinton will attend a fundraiser for a congresswoman from New York City who's challenging Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in next year's Democratic primary.

The fundraiser is for Rep. Carolyn Maloney. Her campaign's chief strategist, Joe Trippi, tells CNN that Maloney has made her decision to run against Gillibrand and will soon formally announce her Senate bid.

Gillibrand, a former congresswoman from upstate New York, was named by Gov. David Paterson in January to succeed Hillary Clinton.

The White House has been hoping to prevent a primary fight next year in New York by trying to clear the field for Gillibrand. Steve Israel, another congressman from New York who was considering a run against Gillibrand, decided against such a bid after lobbying by the White House.

Former President Clinton has not made an endorsement in the race, but his appearance at a Maloney fundraiser will raise some eyebrows. Clinton also attended a fundraiser for Gillibrand earlier this year.

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Americans aren't confident the economy is recovering.

WASHINGTON (CNN)– A new national poll indicates that nearly half of all Americans think the economy has stabilized, but only one in eight believe that a recovery has started. And four in ten questioned in the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Thursday morning feel the country's still in an economic downturn.

"Although polls in recent months have shown some signs of growing optimism, that appears to have stalled," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "In January, 50 percent said the economy was in very poor shape; that figure dropped to 37 percent in April, but now it has risen slightly, to 41 percent."

"The prevailing view? We're in a stall," says CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider.

The poll suggests that when it comes to an economic recovery, Americans are in agreement with President Barack Obama. Discussing the economy last week at a news conference at the White House, Obama said "we're still not at actual recovery yet. So I anticipate that this is going to be a difficult, difficult year."

One in five questioned said the economic conditions in the country today are good, up nine points from March.
The economy remains the number-one issue on American minds, but that figure has dropped 12 points from March.
"When asked to name the most important issue besides the economy, Americans name health care, followed by the federal deficit and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," adds Holland.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, with 1,026 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.

(CNN) — President Barack Obama's hitting the campaign trail later this month — not for himself, but for fellow Democrat Jon Corzine.

The New Jersey governor's re-election campaign team announced Wednesday that Corzine will be joined by Obama at a rally at Rutgers University in New Brunswick on Thursday, July 16. The White House confirmed the event.

While Obama has headlined seven political fundraising events this year, this will be the first campaign rally he's attended for a fellow Democrat since taking over as president in January.

A new poll of New Jersey voters suggests this year's gubernatorial battle between incumbent Corzine and Republican challenger Chris Christie may be tightening up a bit.

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A new CNN poll shows New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine facing a tougher battle with Chris Christie.

(CNN) – A new poll of New Jersey voters suggests this year's gubernatorial battle between incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine and Republican challenger Chris Christie may be tightening up a bit.

A Fairleigh Dickinson University survey released Wednesday indicates that Christie has a 6 point lead, 45 percent to 39 percent, over Corzine, with 15 percent undecided. Christie had a 9 point lead over Corzine in a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll in April.

Just one in five of those questioned in the poll say New Jersey's on the right track, and only one in four say Corzine's doing good or excellent job as governor.

Christie, the former U.S. attorney for New Jersey, is trying to become the first Republican to win statewide office in New Jersey since then-governor Christie Todd Whitman won re-election in 1997.

"Even though it's early in the campaign, it is remarkable that a Republican is running ahead in New Jersey," said Peter Woolley, director of the poll.

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WASHINGTON (CNN)– A new national poll suggests that a bare majority of Americans support President Barack Obama's health care plan.

But the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Wednesday morning indicates that most people are worried that their health care costs would go up if the administration's proposals are passed and only one in five think that their families would be better off under the Obama plan.

Fifty-one percent of people questioned in the poll say they favor the president's health care plan, with 45 percent opposed. Obama aims to bring down health care costs and provide medical insurance to many of the more than 45 million Americans currently without coverage. His proposals, which are making their way through five different congressional committees in the Senate and the House, also call for a government-run health insurance program to compete with private insurers.

"Women and younger Americans are slightly more likely to support Obama's approach to health care," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Those are usually the groups that are more concerned about health care and health insurance."

The poll suggests that 55 percent think the U.S. health care system is in need of a great deal of reform, with four in ten saying only some reform is needed. Nearly half of those questioned have more trust in the President rather than Republicans in Congress to handle health care form, with 38 percent backing the congressional Republicans over Obama.

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WASHINGTON (CNN) – Next week Al Franken comes to the nation's capital to take his seat as his state's junior U.S. senator. So where does the Minnesota Democrat stand on some of the major issues the Senate will be grappling with this year?

Here's a look:

HEALTH CARE REFORM

According to his senate campaign, Franken supports universal health care. He backs requiring states to cover their citizens, with the federal government providing the necessary funding. Franken supports requiring states to cover all children up to 18 with Medicare-style single payer system health care.

CLEAN ENERGY

Franken supports an "Apollo project" on renewable energy, which calls for a comprehensive economic investment strategy to build a clean energy economy and cut energy bills for American families and businesses. He supports additional research and funding for alternative energy sources such as corn, soy, wind and solar power. Franken also backs increased CAFE standards for vehicles and calls for additional funding, research for energy efficiency programs and light rail.

IMMIGRATION

Franken supports "comprehensive immigration reform," which includes creating a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who meet certain requirements. He backs stronger fines and incarceration for employers who hire undocumented workers. Franken calls for tamper-proof worker identification cards. Franken opposes mass deportation of illegal immigrants and supports guest worker programs for seasonal jobs. He wants to work with Mexico to improve its economic conditions to reduce incentive for illegal immigrants to come to the United States.

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A new CNN poll reveals that 54 percent of Americans believe S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford should resign.

(CNN) — A new national poll suggests that a majority of Americans think South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford should resign from office.

Sanford has admitted to a year long extramarital affair with a woman from Argentina. Last Wednesday the governor also acknowledged he did not tell his staff that he was in Argentina during a five-day period when his location was not known.

Fifty-four percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Tuesday think Sanford should step down, with 44 percent saying he should continue to serve as South Carolina governor. Sanford has a year and a half left in his second term as governor. He's term limited and can't run for re-election.

"There is virtually no difference between Republicans and Democrats on this matter," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Fifty-one percent of Democrats and 54 percent of Republicans want Sanford to step down."

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WASHINGTON (CNN) –A new national poll suggests that nearly three-quarters of all Americans support the plan to withdraw most U.S. combat troops from Iraqi cities and towns, even though most believe that the troop movements will lead to an increase in violence in that country.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released on Tuesday morning comes on the same day as the long-anticipated deadline for American troops to pull out of Iraqi towns and cities. The U.S. military has been gradually moving its combat troops out of Iraq's population centers for months to meet the deadline agreed by Washington and Baghdad. Since January the Americans have handed over or shut down more than 150 bases across the country, leaving U.S. troops in a little over 300 locations in Iraq that will gradually be handed over to Iraqi control. The Iraqi government describes Tuesday's pullout as National Sovereignty Day."

Seventy-three percent of Americans questioned in the poll favor the withdrawal of US combat troops from Iraqi cities and towns, with 26 percent opposed.

"This plan has widespread bipartisan support," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Seventy two percent of Democrats and 74 percent of Republicans favor this move."

The poll indicates that 52 percent think the level of violence in Iraqi cities will increase after U.S. troops withdraw, with 32 percent saying things will remain the same and 15 percent feeling that the level of violence will decrease. If violence does increase, the poll suggests Americans are quite clear about how to respond.

"Nearly two-thirds say that the U.S. should not send combat troops back into Iraqi population centers even if there is a significant increase in the number of violence attacks." Holland notes. "Americans seem to believe that once the Iraqis are in charge, it's up to them to solve any future problems."

The overall war in Iraq remains unpopular, with only about a third the public supporting the U.S. war in that country.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, with 1,026 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad chided President Obama on Saturday for 'meddling' in Iran.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – A new national poll suggests that that nearly three out of four Americans don't want the U.S. directly intervene in the election crisis in Iran even though most Americans are upset by how the Iranian government has dealt with protests over controversial election results.

More than eight in ten questioned in the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, released Monday, think the election results released by the Iranian government were a fraud, with just one in ten believing the results were accurate. But only three in ten respondents say they are personally outraged by the results, with another 55 percent upset by not outraged.

Most Americans approve of how President Obama's handled the situation. And 74 percent think the U.S. government should not directly intervene in the post-election crisis, with one out of four feeling that Washington should openly support the demonstrators who are protesting the election results.

"Some 56 percent say that Obama's criticism of the Iranian regime has been about right. Only a third say that he has not gone far enough in his comments about the situation in Iran," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "If the number who are outraged by what's going on Iran were higher, we would probably see a higher number of Americans who say that Obama has not been tough enough on the leaders of that country."

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President Obama's approval rating has remained steady.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – A new national poll indicates that President Barack Obama's approval rating among Americans remains steady.

Sixty-one percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday say they approve of how Obama's handling his duties as president. Thirty-seven percent disapprove.

The 61 percent approval rating is down one point from May and down six points from February.

"Since March, Obama's approval rating has gone down one percentage point each month in CNN polls," notes CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "In March it was 64 percent; in April it was 63 percent. Last month his approval rating stood at 62 percent and now it is at 61 percent."

The poll suggests when it comes to opinions of Obama, gender and generation gaps continue.

Sixty-seven percent of women questioned in the survey approve of how Obama's handling his job as president. That number drops to 54 percent among men. Two-thirds of people under 50 years old questioned in the poll approve of the president's handling of his duties. That number drops to 54 percent among people over 50 years of age.

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WASHINGTON (CNN) — A new national poll suggests that nearly two-thirds of Americans think white firefighters in New Haven, Connecticut where discriminated against when the city tossed out the results of a promotion exam after too few minorities scored high enough on the test.

Monday the Supreme Court, in a five to four vote, ruled in favor of the white firefighters.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation national survey released Monday morning, as the Supreme Court handed down it's ruling, indicates that 65 percent of those questioned say the firefighters were victims of discrimination and should get promotions based on the test results, with 31 percent feeling that the city should a new test to make sure minority firefighters were not victims of discrimination.

"Not surprisingly, most Republicans think that the firefighters were victims of discrimination, but a majority of Democrats join in that view," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Fifty-seven percent of Democrats say the white firefighters were discriminated against. Two-thirds of Independents and three-quarters of Republicans agree."

Sonia Sotomayor, President Barack Obama's nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court justice David Souter, was one of three appeals court judges who ruled that New Haven officials acted properly.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, with 1,026 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – It may be the last thing anyone wants to talk about, thanks to lasting memories from the very long, historic and contentious 2008 presidential campaign, but committees from both the Democratic and Republican parties already looking into revamping the way they pick their presidential nominees.

2012 may be years away, but the Democratic National Committee's Democratic Change Commission holds its first meeting this Saturday. The commission's looking at three issues that dogged last year's marathon primary battle between then-Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Their goals: changing the window of time during which primaries and caucuses may be held, reducing the number of unpledged delegates, and improving the caucus system.

A number of states moved up their contest dates and two of them, Florida and Michigan, were penalized by the national parties. There was also a controversy over the clout of superdelegates in the Democratic nomination battle between Obama and Clinton. Obama won a majority of pledged delegates, but needed the support of superdelegates to clinch the nomination. Superdelegates are party officials, members of Congress and state office holders. They are unpledged delegates who are free to support the candidate of their choice

Work on the Republican side is already underway. The Republican National Committee's primary committee met on Monday, beginning a fact-finding process that could result in some alterations to the primary calendar in the next presidential campaign.

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