August 11, 2026

Utah Medicaid Expansion Polls: The False Dichotomy Problem

If there’s one thing that the pollsters who have raised their collective fingers to the wind of Utah public opinion in recent months can agree upon, it’s that Utah voters don’t know much about Medicaid expansion.  That’s a problem, not only for making public policy, but for trusting the polls to determine what the public […]

With Public Polls Favoring His Resignation, Swallow’s Case is Murky

The news about John Swallow seems to get progressively worse.  His behavior may not have been illegal, but it skirts the line of what the public expects from elected officials enough that a plurality supports his resignation. Though none of the headlines this week has landed with the bombshell effect of that first story in […]

Crockett pulling ahead of well-funded McAdams in SLCo Mayor race

If you didn’t catch it, Mark Crockett is polling ahead of Ben McAdams in the Salt Lake County race for mayor. That’s a big deal. McAdams, with a large money advantage, has outspent Crockett by almost two to one. The Deseret News/KSL poll, conducted by Dan Jones and Associates, puts Crockett at 40 percent and […]

Polls got you down? Don’t Panic

There’s really only one that matters, and it’s only held in November. That doesn’t mean we don’t follow every poll like its a glance at the scoreboard of a rivalry week football game. The difference is that elections are not about getting ahead and running the clock out–they’re about peaking on election day.

ICYMI: Post on KSL today–“Obama plays politics with same-sex marriage”

With polls showing public opinion shifting in favor of gay marriage at the same time as his opponent gains on the economy, Obama put his finger in the wind and timed his announcement on gay marriage to make maximum impact.

It’s not leadership. It’s polling. And polling says that Obama is losing on the economy but could galvanize support of the liberal base. It’s a lot easier than talking about the dismal job situations of 20.1 million people, and it keeps Romney out of headlines for another month. [cont…]