By Curtis Prendergast
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SB 1070 was one of the most controversial topics of conversation in Arizona during the summer of 2010. Public opinion, measured by man-on-the-street interviews and polls, was frequently cited in news articles. The Chronicle gathered articles published during April 2010 by the Arizona Daily Star, the Arizona Republic, and the Nogales International that directly covered public opinion polls regarding SB 1070.
The first article about public opinion polls regarding SB 1070 was published on April 22 by the Arizona Daily Star. The article, Poll: Arizonans like immigration bill, cited a Rasmussen Reports poll in which 70 percent of likely voters responded that they supported SB 1070. On April 28 the Star published a report by Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services on a poll that showed Gov. Brewer increasing her lead over Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard in the race for governor. The article, Poll: Voters like Brewer’s support of AZ immigration, concealed weapons laws, cited a poll by Rasmussen Reports and referenced SB 1070 and the concealed weapons law as sources of Brewer’s growing popularity. The next day the Republic ran a story, Arizona immigration law boosts Gov. Brewer’s rating, that went into detail in its description of the Rasmussen Reports survey. In the story, the governor had a 56 percent approval rating from Arizonans and an 81 percent approval rating from Republicans. The article also called into question the methodology of the survey. Also on April 29, the Republic ran 51% in nation support Arizona immigration law, poll says, from Politico, which showed that a slim majority of Americans supported SB 1070. On April 30 the Republic ran a story from Politico, GOP worries Arizona immigration law could hurt party, which synthesized poll results from the previous few months.
Below are the articles published by the three newspapers in chronological order:
Arizona Daily Star: Poll: Arizonans like immigration bill (April 22, 2010)
“A majority of likely voters appear willing to swap tougher enforcement for civil-rights protections, according to a new poll that found 70 percent of likely voters support a measure authorizing police to check the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant.”
Arizona Daily Star (Capitol Media Services): Poll: Voters like Brewer’s support of AZ immigration, concealed weapons laws (April 28, 2010)
“PHOENIX – The decision by Gov. Jan Brewer to sign a pair of controversial bills may have generated some unwanted attention for Arizona. But it hasn’t hurt the governor’s popularity at home.”
Arizona Republic: Arizona immigration law boosts Gov. Brewer’s rating (April 29, 2010)
“Signing the nation’s toughest immigration legislation into law has thrust Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer into the national spotlight, and recent polls suggest the move has given her job-performance ratings a boost.”
Arizona Republic (Politico): 51% in nation support Arizona immigration law, poll says (April 29, 2010)
“Just more than half of the country is in favor of a tough new immigration law in Arizona, according to a new Gallup poll out Thursday. Fifty-one percent of those polled nationwide who said they have heard of the new law favor the measure, which grants police to right to ask to see proof of citizenship from anyone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant. Thirty-nine percent said they oppose it.”
Arizona Republic: GOP worries Arizona immigration law could hurt party (April 30, 2010)
“Arizona’s immigration law has been an immediate hit with the Republican base, but some of the party’s top strategists and rising stars worry that the harsh crackdown may do long-term damage to the GOP in the eyes of America’s Hispanic population.”
Read the polls that were taken during April and the summer of 2010 here.
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Posted on April 2, 2011 by cachocurt
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