Poll: More optimism in Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - According to more results from an exclusive WPRI 12 poll released Monday evening, there are still a great deal of disheartened Rhode Islanders.

But, there is some improvement in how likely voters feel about the direction the state is moving.

The telephone interview poll with 501 likely Rhode Island voters was conducted last Wednesday through Saturday by Fleming & Associates of Cumberland, R.I. The survey has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus approximately 4.38 percentage points on statewide questions and 6.2 points on questions in a congressional district.

The poll shows 23% of likely voters think Rhode Island is moving in the right direction, up from 19% in February and a low of 12% in May 2010; 60% of likely voters still think the state is moving in the wrong direction, down from 67% in February and a high of 72% in May 2010.

• Interactive: Breakdown of poll results

Rhode Islanders' key policy concern by far is the economy and jobs, cited by 54% of voters as their most important issue. Health care was a distant second, cited by 18% of voters.

On the question of legalizing same-sex marriage, which state lawmakers may consider, 56% of voters are in favor of legalizing it, 36% are opposed to doing so and 14% are unsure. Support is strongest among Democrats (72% in favor) and voters ages 18 to 39 (64% in favor), while opposition is highest among Republicans (59% opposed) and voters 60 and older (43% opposed).

The oft-criticized General Assembly still isn't unpopular enough to make a majority "throw the bums out," as the old saying goes.

WPRI 12 also polled likely voters about their opinions of the job performances of three high-profile politicians; Governor Lincoln Chafee, General Treasure Gina Raimondo and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras.

Those results will be revealed Tuesday on Eyewitness News at Six.

Ted Nesi ( tnesi@wpri.com ) covers politics and the economy for WPRI.com and writes the Nesi's Notes blog . Follow him on Twitter: @tednesi