Here Are The Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #12932

Geography Surveyed: Minnesota
Data Collected: 11/02/2007 - 11/05/2007
Release Date: 11/06/2007 12:10 PM ET
Sponsors: KAAL-TV Rochester-Mason City-Austin, KSTP-TV Minneapolis, WDIO-TV Duluth

Minnesotans Give Public Schools a "C" Grade At Managing State Funding: Minnesota's public school districts get a "C" grade from Minnesota voters at managing the funds provided to them by the state, according to this SurveyUSA poll conducted for KSTP-TV Minneapolis, WDIO-TV Duluth and KAAL-TV Rochester. At the same time, 6 in 10 Minnesotans tell SurveyUSA that school districts receive too little money from the state.

Nelson-Pallmeyer and Cohen Pose Less of a Challenge to Coleman than do Franken and Ciresi: In an election for U.S. Senate in Minnesota today, 1 year to the vote, incumbent Republican Norm Coleman defeats possible DFL challengers Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer and Jim Cohen, but faces a more serious challenge from either Al Franken or Mike Ciresi. Today, it's Coleman 48%, Franken 44%. Coleman 49%, Ciresi 43%. Coleman 50%, Cohen 38%. Coleman 53%, Nelson-Pallmeyer 34%.

Context: SurveyUSA conducted research in Minnesota for a newspaper client beginning 10/24/07. That survey found Coleman running even with Franken and Ciresi. This survey, fielded a week later, shows Coleman running ahead, though within the margin of sampling error. Possible explanations: 1) In the week between the first survey and this survey, Coleman introduced legislation to help homeowners delinquent with their mortgages; he endorsed Rudolph Giuliani for president; and he announced his support of Michael Mukasey for U.S. Attorney General. No telling if any of these events made a difference. 2) The newspaper respondents heard a different set of questions before they were asked how they would in an Election. Specifically, newspaper respondents were asked whether their opinion of each of Coleman, Franken and Ciresi was favorable or unfavorable. Respondents to the TV survey were not asked favorability questions before the "who will you vote for" questions. 3) Coleman's opponents in the TV survey were identified as "DFL" candidates; in the newspaper survey, they were identified as "Democrats." 4) SurveyUSA secured respondent cooperation for the TV survey using TV News anchors from KSTP-TV, WDIO-TV and KAAL-TV. Depending on what part of Minnesota a respondent lives in, he/she would have been greeted when he/she lifted the telephone by the closest TV news anchor. Newspaper surveys were introduced by a SurveyUSA announcer. Filtering: 700 adults were interviewed for the TV survey; 616 were registered to vote and included.