Overview
Rasmussen Reports is an American polling company established in 2003 by pollster Scott Rasmussen. The firm collects, publishes and distributes public-opinion data at national and state levels. It is best known for its frequent polling cadence and for producing measures of voter intentions, current political issues, business sentiment and the popularity of elected officials.
Scope and outputs
Rasmussen conducts recurring tracking of topics such as federal and state elections, approval ratings for the United States president, consumer confidence, and other public-policy or business-related questions. Its outputs include nightly or near-nightly tracking reports, one-off surveys, and compilations that are distributed through its website, newsletters, press releases and subscription services.
Methods and characteristics
The company uses survey sampling and statistical weighting techniques common in opinion research to estimate the views of a larger population from respondents. Its frequent reporting rhythm — sometimes called "tracking" — is intended to capture short-term movement in public views. Like many polling organizations, Rasmussen provides both topline summaries and more detailed cross-tabs for subscribers or media partners.
History and development
Founded in the early 2000s, Rasmussen Reports gained visibility by offering rapid, regularly updated figures during election cycles and on the president's job approval. Over time the firm expanded to cover state-level contests and issue questions relevant to business and consumer confidence. Its emphasis on daily or nightly updates is one of its distinguishing features among U.S. polling firms.
Uses, reception and debate
Journalists, political operatives, businesses and members of the public use Rasmussen polling to track trends, compare regions and monitor changes in approval or sentiment. The firm has been the subject of discussion concerning methodology and partisan lean: some observers praise its responsiveness and clarity, while others critique aspects of sampling and weighting. Academic and professional pollsters often compare Rasmussen's results with those from other organizations to identify systematic differences or "house effects."
Notable topics and examples
- Nightly tracking of electoral preferences and battleground state dynamics.
- Measures of the president's job approval, frequently cited in news coverage and political analysis: presidential job approval.
- Surveys of consumer confidence and business-related topics: consumer confidence reports.
As with any single polling source, Rasmussen's findings are most informative when viewed alongside other reputable polls and contextual information about question wording, timing and sample composition.