Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #7924
 
Alito Has Twice As Many Backers as Detractors: On the day confirmation hearings begin for Samuel Alito to Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Alito has twice as many backers as detractors, according to a poll of 1,200 adults nationwide conducted by SurveyUSA for its media clients around the country. 30% of USA adults go into the hearings certain that Alito is qualified to serve on the High Court. 14% of adults go into the hearings certain that Alito is not qualified to serve on the High Court. 36% of Americans, the largest group, are waiting to hear from Alito this week before making up their minds.
 
Majority Says Alito Will Be Confirmed: 50% of Americans predict Alito will be confirmed on a full vote of the U.S. Senate (compare with 33% to 47% who said the same about Harriett Miers in 26 consecutive days of SurveyUSA tracking polling. Miers tracking data here). 15% of Americans today say Alito will make it to a full vote before the Senate, but will then be rejected by the full Senate (compare with 20% to 28% who said the same about Miers). 9% today say Alito will not make it to a full vote before the Senate (compare with 12% to 19% who said the same about Miers).
 
Few have heard of "CAP": 11% of Americans have heard of the organization "Concerned Alumni of Princeton." 84% have not, on the day confirmation hearings begin.
 
1Based on what you know now, will the United States Senate vote to confirm Samuel Alito as a Justice on the United States Supreme Court? Will the Senate vote to reject Alito? Will Alito not make it as far as a vote before the full United States Senate? Or, do you not know enough to say?
1200 AdultsAllGenderAgeRaceParty AffiliationIdeologyEducationAttend ChurchAbortionRegion
Margin of Sampling Error: ± 2.9%MaleFemale18-3435-5455+WhiteBlackHispanicOtherRepublicDemocratIndependConservaModerateLiberalGrad SchCollege Some ColNo ColleNeverOccasionRegularlPro-lifePro-choiNortheasMidwestSouthWest
Vote To Confirm50%58%42%43%50%57%53%42%42%37%64%40%49%57%51%39%60%62%43%38%45%45%57%56%46%53%52%50%43%
Vote To Reject15%14%16%12%16%18%14%18%21%12%10%20%14%12%16%19%13%13%15%18%14%16%15%9%19%17%13%14%19%
Will Not Make It To a Vote9%7%10%7%9%9%8%13%10%8%5%11%10%7%9%9%10%5%8%10%8%10%8%7%9%9%7%9%9%
Do Not Know27%20%33%38%25%17%25%27%27%44%21%29%27%24%25%33%17%20%33%34%34%28%20%27%26%22%27%28%29%
Total100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%
Composition of Adults100%48%52%32%40%28%72%11%11%6%31%40%26%30%47%19%20%23%28%28%28%36%36%37%56%20%23%36%22%
 
 
2What best describes you: One: I am certain that Samuel Alito is qualified to serve on the Supreme Court.Two: I am certain that Alito is NOT qualified to serve on the Supreme Court.Three: I need to hear what Alito has to say at his confirmation hearings before I make up my mind.Four: I am not following the story.
1200 AdultsAllGenderAgeRaceParty AffiliationIdeologyEducationAttend ChurchAbortionRegion
Margin of Sampling Error: ± 2.9%MaleFemale18-3435-5455+WhiteBlackHispanicOtherRepublicDemocratIndependConservaModerateLiberalGrad SchCollege Some ColNo ColleNeverOccasionRegularlPro-lifePro-choiNortheasMidwestSouthWest
Certain Alito Is Qualified30%38%22%25%31%36%32%18%32%18%55%13%26%50%26%11%33%41%27%21%19%28%40%42%22%31%32%29%28%
Certain Alito Is Not Qualified14%14%14%13%16%12%11%18%28%17%5%23%14%8%15%24%15%12%14%16%19%14%11%8%19%17%10%14%17%
Need To Hear What Alito Has To Say36%31%40%33%34%41%37%41%20%34%24%44%38%25%40%43%41%31%37%35%38%37%34%28%40%34%35%36%37%
Not Following / Not Sure20%17%23%30%19%11%19%23%19%31%17%20%22%17%20%22%11%16%23%27%24%22%15%21%19%19%23%21%17%
Total100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%
Composition of Adults100%48%52%32%40%28%72%11%11%6%31%40%26%30%47%19%20%23%28%28%28%36%36%37%56%20%23%36%22%
 
 
3Have you ever heard of the organization called Concerned Alumni of Princeton?
1200 AdultsAllGenderAgeRaceParty AffiliationIdeologyEducationAttend ChurchAbortionRegion
Margin of Sampling Error: ± 2.1%MaleFemale18-3435-5455+WhiteBlackHispanicOtherRepublicDemocratIndependConservaModerateLiberalGrad SchCollege Some ColNo ColleNeverOccasionRegularlPro-lifePro-choiNortheasMidwestSouthWest
Yes11%13%9%13%9%10%8%19%17%15%8%13%10%12%10%11%11%8%11%13%12%9%11%10%11%11%9%10%13%
No84%82%85%82%86%82%87%78%72%76%86%80%84%81%84%85%85%87%84%80%82%85%84%84%83%82%85%85%81%
Not Sure6%5%6%5%4%9%5%3%11%9%5%7%6%6%6%5%4%5%5%7%5%6%6%5%6%7%6%5%6%
Total100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%100%
Composition of Adults100%48%52%32%40%28%72%11%11%6%31%40%26%30%47%19%20%23%28%28%28%36%36%37%56%20%23%36%22%