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Rasmussen: Voters view Ryan more favorably after VP pick
A plurality of likely voters view Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) more favorably after he was tapped this weekend to be Mitt Romney’s running mate in the presidential election, a new poll finds.
The latest national survey from the conservative-leaning Rasmussen Reports finds 50 percent of those polled have a favorable view of Romney’s vice-presidential pick, including 29 percent with a “very favorable” impression.
Thirteen percent say they are unfamiliar with the 14-year House veteran, and 5 percent say they are undecided.
Overall, 43 percent say he was the right pick for Mitt Romney.
The poll will likely buoy the Romney campaign, after a poll released Monday suggested that Ryan had received a lukewarm reception from voters.
A USA Today/Gallup poll found 42 percent of Americans said Ryan’s candidacy was a “fair” or “poor” choice for the Romney campaign, compared to 39 percent who said it was an “excellent” or “pretty good” choice.
The survey found that Ryan was the worst performing vice presidential candidate after his initial introduction, since Vice President Dan Quayle in 1988. A majority, 52 percent of Americans, said Quayle was a “fair” or “poor” choice that year.
Romney’s campaign sought to downplay that poll, arguing that Ryan was not well-known outside of Wisconsin.
Both campaigns have moved quickly to define the seven-term lawmaker, with President Obama’s campaign hitting Ryan hard on his controversial budget proposal, in particular his plans to cut spending by $5 trillion and shift Medicare to a subsidized private insurance model.
Ryan hit the campaign trail on Monday for his first solo events in Iowa, where he will counter Obama, who is in the state on a three-day tour.
The poll was conducted among 1,000 likely voters over Aug. 12-13, after Saturday’s announcement that Ryan would be joining the GOP ticket.
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