Poll: African Americans remain solidly behind Dems after GOP convention
By Keating Holland/CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) --Despite the notable number of African Americans and other minorities on the podium at last week's Republican National Convention, most black Americans came away from the party's conclave with a less favorable opinion of the GOP. Despite a more inclusive and tolerant tone than previous GOP gatherings, most African Americans polled don't think the party is doing a good job reaching out to minorities, according to the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.
Most also don't believe that Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush would work hard in office to represent the interests of blacks.
African Americans remain strongly behind Democratic nominee-in-waiting Vice President Al Gore. Although Bush gained five points among black voters after the convention, the surge pushed his share of African-American support up to a mere 15 percent. Gore is as popular as Clinton among African-Americans, and both men enjoy favorable ratings that are more than twice as high as Bush's. Although a majority of black Americans polled liked one Republican -- retired Gen. Colin Powell -- it's interesting to note that white Americans gave him a higher favorable rating than did blacks.
The poll, conducted on August 4-6, consisted of interviews with 1,051 adult Americans, including 875 whites and a special oversample of 270 African-American registered voters.
CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
August 4-6
Asked of African Americans: If Al Gore was the Democratic Party's candidate and George W. Bush and Dick Cheney were the Republican Party's candidates, who would you be more likely to vote for?
Now July
Gore 77% 79%
Bush 15 10
Sampling error: +/-6% pts
CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
August 4-6
Favorable Ratings among African Americans
Bill Clinton 82%
Al Gore 82
George W. Bush 38
Sampling error: +/-6% pts
CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
August 4-6
Favorable Ratings
African-
Americans Whites
Democratic party 84% 50%
Republican party 22 59
Sampling error: +/-6% pts
CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
August 4-6
From what you have seen or heard about this week's Republican National Convention, do you have a more favorable or less favorable opinion of the Republican Party?
African-
Americans Whites
More favorable 19% 48%
Less favorable 50 20
Sampling error: +/-6% pts
CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
August 4-6
Would you say the Republican Party is generally doing a good job these days, of reaching out to blacks, Hispanics and other Americans?
African-
Americans Whites
Yes 28% 52%
No 59 30
Sampling error: +/-6% pts
CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
August 4-6
Do you think that, if elected, George W. Bush, would work hard to represent the interests of black Americans?
African-
Americans Whites
Yes 37% 70%
No 54 22
Sampling error: +/-6% pts
CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
August 4-6
Colin Powell's Favorable Rating
Whites 84%
African-Americans 68
Sampling error: +/-6% pts
CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
August 4-6
Asked of African Americans: Do you think the Democratic Party is doing a good job representing the interests of black Americans?
Yes No
Now 75% 13%
1995 39 39
1994 49 39
Sampling error: +/-6% pts
|