The St. Petersburg Times telephone survey of 800 registered voters was conducted Aug. 6-9 by the firms Schroth Eldon & Associates and the Polling Company.

Q. Generally speaking, do you think things in the United States today are moving in the right direction, or do you think things are moving in the wrong direction?
Right direction
Wrong direction
Don't know
29%
58%
13%


Q. Which of the following issues do you think is the most important for your elected officials to focus on right now?
Protecting Medicare and Social Security
11%
 
Resolving the situation in Iraq
15%
Improving public education
13%
Improving the economy and creating jobs
7%
Increasing access to affordable health care
12%
Fighting international terrorism
12%
Addressing illegal immigration
7%
Other
3%
Providing affordable Hurricane insurance
7%
Dont know/refused
5%
Lowering the price of gas
8%


Q. How would you rate the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President?
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Don't know
11%
23%
21%
43%
2%


Q. How would you rate the way George W. Bush is handling the economy?
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Don't know
8%
24%
24%
41%
3%


Q. How would you rate the way George W. Bush is handling the war in Iraq?
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Don't know
8%
16%
22%
54%
-


Q. How would you rate the way the United States Congress is handling its job?
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Don't know
2%
13%
39%
43%
3%


Q. How would you rate the way Jeb Bush is handling his job as Governor?
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Don't know
19%
37%
26%
16%
1%


Q. How confident are you that the federal government is prepared to respond adequately to any future hurricanes or other natural disasters that may affect the nation?
Very confident
Somewhat confident
Not too confident
Not confident
at all
Don't know/refused
13%
37%
28%
20%
2%


Q. Who do you hold responsible for the high cost of hurricane insurance in Florida?
Insurance companies
51%
 
None of the above
2%
The state government
19%
Other
1%
Weather patterns
15%
Dont know/refused
2%
All of the above
9%


Q. Who do you think will be most able to bring about a positive resolution to the current crisis of hurricane insurances rising cost and availability for Floridas homeowners and businesses?
The state government
42%
 
Neither
4%
The federal government
26%
Other
1%
Insurance companies
14%
Dont know/refused
6%
Both
7%


Q. Do you support or oppose the state government expanding their current involvement in offering hurricane insurance to Floridas homeowners and businesses?
Support
Oppose
Don't know/refused
70%
20%
10%


Q. Looking back, did the United States make the right decision to invade Iraq?
Yes
No
Don't know/refused
39%
56%
5%


Q. Do you believe the United States should stay as long as it takes to stabilize Iraq or should the United States establish a timetable for a complete withdrawal of troops from Iraq?
As long as it takes
Establish a timetable
Don't know/refused
37%
58%
5%


Q. Do you support or oppose lifting the existing ban on drilling off the Florida coastline?
Support
Oppose
Don't know/refused
46%
42%
12%


Q. Do you agree or disagree with this statement: Floridians are being unfairly selfish for refusing to allow drilling off their coast when they are among the largest consumers of energy in this country.
Agree
Disagree
Don't know/refused
37%
53%
10%


Q. Do you support or oppose lifting the existing ban on drilling off the Florida coastline even if continuing the ban on off shore drilling might mean paying high prices for energy?
Support
Oppose
Don't know/refused
45%
43%
12%


Q. Do you support or oppose deploying National Guard troops to monitor our border with Mexico?
Support
Oppose
Don't know/refused
68%
28%
4%


Q. Do you support or oppose lifting the existing ban on drilling off the Florida coastline even if continuing the ban on off shore drilling might mean paying high prices for energy?
Positive
Mixed
Negative
Don't know
13%
48%
35%
4%


Q. Do you support or oppose allowing illegal immigrants who have been working in the United States to earn citizenship by meeting a series of goals including learning English and paying a portion of back taxes?
Support
Oppose
Don't know/refused
78%
19%
3%


Q. Do you support or oppose securing the border by building a wall or fence along the Mexican border?
Support
Oppose
Don't know/refused
43%
53%
4%


Q. Do you support or oppose increasing penalties for employers who hire illegal immigrants to include jail time?
Support
Oppose
Don't know/refused
59%
38%
3%


Q. Do you support or oppose increasing efforts to locate and deport illegal immigrants?
Support
Oppose
Don't know/refused
58%
35%
7%


Q. Do you support or oppose creating a guest worker program to allow immigrant workers to enter the country and then return to their native country after a set period of time?
Support
Oppose
Don't know/refused
43%
53%
4%


The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percent. For questions of Democratic primary voters, the margin of error is plus or minus 5.2 percent, and 5.6 percent for Republican primary voters.