By KUNA
Washington : A year before the US presidential elections, Democrats have an advantage over Republicans in public perception on issues, due in part to “personal touch” campaigning, according to latest election polls.
The Democratic Party has gained support by American voters on issues like healthcare, housing markets, citizen’s rights, governmental oversight, the economy and the war in Iraq upstaging Republicans over which party can better handle top national concerns. The latest USA Today/ Gallup poll shows that Republicans hold a marginal lead on issues like moral values, illegal immigration, and terrorism, but voters are favoring Democrats more on hot-button issues in the upcoming presidential election. With the election season underway, both parties have flooded voters with letters, phone calls, and emails courting their support, especially in early primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire. Most voters have received “robo-calls”, pre-recorded messages urging support for the campaigns, seen as more annoying than persuasive.
In Iowa, 81 percent of all voters say they have received robo-calls from the campaigns, along with 68 percent in New Hampshire. In both states, nearly half consider the pre-recorded a minor annoyance, while to 35 percent of Iowans and 19 percent of New Hampshire voters say they actually listen to the message. However, far more Democratic voters than Republicans voters in both states have been personally contacted by one of the campaigns.
According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, this personal touch seems to be making a difference in getting voter’s attention.
A greater number of expected voters in both states actually listen to campaign calls made in person by campaign representatives. In Iowa, 50 percent of voters favor these calls. While in New Hampshire, twice as many voters say they would rather listen to a live campaign call over a prerecorded one. Among Democratic voters in Iowa, 65 percent received calls in person by a representative of one of the Democratic candidates and 33 percent say they have been visited at home by someone talking about the campaign. By comparison, of Republican voters, 46 percent received a personal campaign call and just eight percent said they have received a home-visit. Engagement and interest in the presidential campaigns are higher among Democratic voters in primary states, than Republican voters. In Iowa, 77 percent of Democratic voters say the campaign is interesting, compared with 60 percent of Republicans.
The survey found Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats to describe the campaign so far as “dull”. Currently, Democratic candidate anf former first-lady Hillary Clinton is leading the race, ahead of Senator Barack Obama. Among Republican candidates former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is leading the polls. In second place, there is serious competition between Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney.