



Raleigh, N.C. –

PPP’s newest national poll finds that Republicans aren’t getting much traction

with their focus on Benghazi over the last week. Voters trust Hillary Clinton

over Congressional Republicans on the issue of Benghazi by a 49/39 margin and

Clinton’s +8 net favorability rating at 52/44 is identical to what it was on

our last national poll in late March. Meanwhile Congressional Republicans

remain very unpopular with a 36/57 favorability rating.

Voters think Congress should be more focused on other major issues right now

rather than Benghazi. By a 56/38 margin they say passing a comprehensive

immigration reform bill is more important than continuing to focus on Benghazi,

and by a 52/43 spread they think passing a bill requiring background checks for

all gun sales should be a higher priority.

While voters overall may think Congress’ focus should be elsewhere there’s

no doubt about how mad Republicans are about Benghazi. 41% say they consider

this to be the biggest political scandal in American history to only 43% who

disagree with that sentiment. Only 10% of Democrats and 20% of independents

share that feeling. Republicans think by a 74/19 margin than Benghazi is a

worse political scandal than Watergate, by a 74/12 margin that it’s worse than

Teapot Dome, and by a 70/20 margin that it’s worse than Iran Contra.

One interesting thing about the voters who think Benghazi is the biggest

political scandal in American history is that 39% of them don’t actually know

where it is. 10% think it’s in Egypt, 9% in Iran, 6% in Cuba, 5% in Syria, 4%

in Iraq, and 1% each in North Korea and Liberia with 4% not willing to venture

a guess.

“What we’re finding after last week’s Benghazi hearings is that as angry as

Republicans are, most voters think Congress should be focused more on other

issues,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “And Hillary

Clinton’s poll numbers weren’t negatively impacted by the focus on her.”

PPP surveyed 576

voters nationwide from May 10th to 12th. The margin of error is +/-4.1%. This poll was not

paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys

are conducted through automated telephone interviews.

Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion

of Hillary Clinton?

Favorable……………………………………………….. 52%

Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 44%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 5%

Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion

of Congressional Republicans?

Favorable……………………………………………….. 36%

Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 57%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 7%

Q3 Who do you trust more on the issue of

Benghazi: Hillary Clinton or Congressional

Republicans?

Hillary Clinton………………………………………….. 49%

Congressional Republicans ………………………. 39%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%

Q4 Where do you think Benghazi is located: Egypt,

Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Syria, Iraq, or

Liberia?

Egypt …………………………………………………….. 10%

Cuba ……………………………………………………… 3%

Iran ……………………………………………………….. 4%

North Korea ……………………………………………. 2%

Libya ……………………………………………………… 58%

Syria ……………………………………………………… 8%

Iraq ……………………………………………………….. 1%

Liberia……………………………………………………. 2%

Somewhere else/Not sure…………………………. 13%

Q5 What do you think should be a higher priority

for Congress: investigating Benghazi or

passing a bill requiring background checks for

all gun sales?

Investigating Benghazi……………………………… 43%

Passing a bill requiring background checks

for all gun sales ……………………………………….52%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 5%

Q6 What do you think should be a higher priority

for Congress: investigating Benghazi or

passing a comprehensive immigration reform

bill?

Investigating Benghazi……………………………… 38%

Passing a comprehensive immigration reform

bill ………………………………………………………….56%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%

Q7 Which political scandal do you think is worse:

Benghazi or Watergate?

Benghazi………………………………………………… 45%

Watergate ………………………………………………. 45%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%

Q8 Which political scandal do you think is worse:

Benghazi or the Teapot Dome scandal?

Benghazi………………………………………………… 45%

Teapot Dome ………………………………………….. 30%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 25%

Q9 Which political scandal do you think is worse:

Benghazi or Iran Contra?

Benghazi………………………………………………… 44%

Iran Contra……………………………………………… 44%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%

Q10 Do you think Benghazi is the biggest political

scandal in American history, or not?

It is ………………………………………………………… 23%

It is not …………………………………………………… 65%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%

Q11 In the last presidential election, did you vote for

Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?

Barack Obama………………………………………… 49%

Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 43%

Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 8%

Q12 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,

somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat

conservative, or very conservative?

Very liberal ……………………………………………… 10%

Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 16%

Moderate………………………………………………… 39%

Somewhat conservative……………………………. 20%

Very conservative ……………………………………. 14%

Q13 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.

Woman ………………………………………………….. 52%

Man……………………………………………………….. 48%

Q14 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,

press 2. If you are an independent or identify

with another party, press 3.

Democrat ……………………………………………….. 39%

Republican……………………………………………… 31%

Independent/Other…………………………………… 30%

Q15 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.

If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.

Hispanic…………………………………………………. 8%

White …………………………………………………….. 73%

African-American …………………………………….. 11%

Other……………………………………………………… 8%

Q16 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to

45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are

older than 65, press 4.

18 to 29………………………………………………….. 15%

30 to 45………………………………………………….. 22%

46 to 65………………………………………………….. 45%

Older than 65………………………………………….. 18%