Polls of the Week: March 5
President Obama blamed for rising gas prices, plus more.
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America Weighs In - Voters keep economic issues at the forefront of the presidential race, Rick Santorum continues to edge out Mitt Romney and the latest views of President Obama’s health care act.—Joyce Jones and Britt Middleton.
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Americans Blame President Obama, Oil Companies for Rising Gas Prices - In a new Pew Center poll released March 1, 18 percent of Americans say President Obama or his administration is to blame for price hikes at the gas pump; 14 percent blame oil companies or domestic oil producers; 11 percent blame Iran, the upheaval in the Middle East or the threat of war in the region; the remaining respondents split the blame evenly among Washington politicians, Wall Street traders, Congress and consumers who drive inefficient vehicles. Nationally, the average cost for gas is $3.72 per gallon, according to the Energy Information Administration. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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Higher Learning in America - Overall, Americans (60 percent) believe colleges and universities have a positive impact on the current state of the country, a Pew Poll reported on March 1, while 26 percent said they have a negative effect. Interestingly, fewer conservative Republicans (46 percent) reported that institutions are positively shaping our nation, compared to 67 percent of Democrats and 61 percent of Independents. (Photo: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)
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Americans Save Their Cash - A new Gallup poll reported on March 2 says that Americans who make less than $90,000 per year reported spending an average of of $55 per day in stores, at gas stations and online in February, essentially the same as what Americans reported spending in January. Lower- and middle-income spending was $52 per day, while those making more than $90,000 a year reported spending $110 per day in February, down slightly from $117 daily in January and February 2011. (Photo: Getty Images)
Photo By Photo: GettyImages
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Top States With Highest/Lowest Obesity Rates - The national obesity rate declined slightly to 26.1 percent in 2011, from 26.6 percent in 2010, according to a Gallup poll released Feb. 29. Nationally, West Virginia (35.3), Delaware (32.7) and Mississippi (32.2) were among the top states with the highest obesity rates, while Colorado (18.5), Rhode Island and Utah (both at 21.6 percent) and Massachusetts (22.2 percent) were the top three states with the lowest obesity rates. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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Presidential Campaign Issues - In a USA Today/Gallup poll released Feb. 29, 92 percent of registered voters said the economy is very or extremely important to them in the presidential campaign, followed by unemployment (82 percent), the federal deficit (79 percent) and the Affordable Care Act (75 percent). (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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Repeal of the Affordable Care Act - According to a Gallup survey released Feb. 27, 47 percent of Americans would approve a repeal of the Affordable Care Act, while 44 percent would be opposed. In addition, 56 percent of Americans said they strongly favor repeal, while 39 percent said they would strongly oppose it.(Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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Ohio Presidential Primary Poll - Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum has the edge in the upcoming primary in Ohio, a key battleground state and Super Tuesday’s biggest prize, leading Mitt Romney by 36 percent to 29 percent, but 45 percent of voters said they might change their mind, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Feb. 27.(Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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Mitt Romney’s Favorability - An ABC News/Washington Post poll released Feb. 28 found that nationwide, just 38 percent of people who consider themselves “very conservative” hold a favorable view of Mitt Romney, compared to 60 percent who have a favorable view of Rick Santorum. (Photo: Marc Piscotty/Getty Images)
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President Obama's Approval Rating - The results of a Politico/George Washington University poll published Feb. 27 found that 53 percent of voters approve of President Obama’s job performance. In a matchup with Mitt Romney, he leads by 53 percent to 43 percent and Rick Santorum by 53 to 42 percent. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)