Idaho pollster Greg Smith today released results of a new statewide poll that showed that Idahoans are less favorable toward President Barack Obama than the nation, but they don't feel all that strongly about it. The poll, which queried randomly selected 400 Idahoans 18 and older from June 15-18, also found that 53.8 percent of Idahoans feel the state is going in the right direction. Tomorrow, he'll release results looking at Idahoans' perceptions of Gov. Butch Otter and the state's four-member congressional delegation. Click below for today's results.

From Pollster Greg Smith:

"By a 2-1 margin, Idahoans think that the state is going the right direction, compared to only about 38-42% of all Americans perceive the nation’s direction.
When asked, “Would you say that the state of Idaho is generally going in the right direction, or is it off on the wrong track?”, more than half of Idahoans (53.8%) say Idaho is going in the right direction, with just over one-fourth (27.8%) saying wrong track.  Note that residents in Regions 4/South Central Idaho, 5/S.E. Idaho, and 6/Upper Snake are even more bullish on Idaho (with approx. 60% of residents saying right direction), although “right direction” garners more mentions than “wrong track” in all parts of the state.  Nationally, only about 38% similarly feel the country is going in the right direction, with fully 58% saying the country is off on the wrong track.

President Obama is thought of very or somewhat favorably by about 45% of Idahoans, and very or somewhat unfavorably by about 47% -- not surprisingly, measurably less favorable than the nation as a whole.  Interestingly, Idahoans are no more intense in their impressions of the President than the rest of the nation.  That is, about 26% of Idahoans have a very favorable impression, with about 19% saying somewhat favorable – for a net favorable rating of 45%.  A whopping 35% have a very unfavorable impression, with another 12% at somewhat unfavorable for a net unfavorable rating of 47%, with unfavorables at least 35-40% in all regions.    By comparison, such well-known polling efforts as Rasmussen Reports and Zogby report national ratings at about 58-61% favorable and 32-39% unfavorable.  

Interestingly, just over 50% of Idahoans have intense feelings toward the President, either very favorable or very unfavorable.  By comparison, Rasmussen Reports currently reports a 65-70% intensity figure nationally, with 33-35% very favorable and also very unfavorable – suggesting Idahoans are less favorably disposed toward the President, but with less overall intensity regarding their feelings than the rest of the nation."  

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