By: Thom Serafin
June 17, 2024
The June Serafin Power Poll results are in!
Get ready to crank up the fun because summer officially kicks off on Thursday, June 20th! While music fans are gearing up for epic concerts like the Rolling Stones and Lollapalooza, our pollers are buzzing about a different kind of show. Believe it or not, they’re most excited for the grand political spectacle of the Democratic National Convention.
We asked our poll respondents which summer events they are most looking forward to attending or watching from the sidelines. The results showed that 33% are excited about the August DNC, followed by the NASCAR Street Races (10%), the Rolling Stones concert (8%), and Lollapalooza (5%). However, on a less enthusiastic note, the majority of our respondents (40%) said they plan to either skip town or do their best to avoid the traffic associated with these summer events.
Our next question addressed crime and curfews. Alderman Brian Hopkins is pushing for an 8 pm curfew to control unaccompanied minors in Chicago’s business district. We asked our respondents if they thought this measure would help reduce crime. The verdict was clear: 48% said it would take much more than just a curfew to make a difference. However, 39% supported the proposal, believing that any measure that might deter violence is worth considering.
In just four weeks, the GOP convention is set to rock Milwaukee! We presented our poll respondents with a long list of potential VP candidates for Trump and asked them to weigh in on who they think has the best shot at the spot. The majority of our respondents (24%) admitted they weren’t sure. Among those who had an opinion, Nikki Haley got the top vote at 14.5%, followed by Ohio Senator J.D. Vance and North Dakota Governor Doug Burhum, tied at an estimated 12.5%. Florida Senator Marco Rubio and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott also tied at around 8 percent each.
Turning to sports and the widespread fascination with Caitlin Clark, we asked our poll respondents how they thought her rookie season with the Indiana Fever was going. Not a single poller said they were disappointed in Clark’s performance and 33 % said they weren’t worried in the least about her professional trajectory. 23% expressed disappointment with the behavior of opposing players, officiating, and commentators, noting that Caitlin Clark can’t catch a break. 28% answered they don’t care—maybe those pollers are thinking more about baseball at this point?
Finally, we wanted to know what pollers thought about a growing trend these days where texting for permission before calling is becoming the norm. In some circles, it’s considered impolite to call someone without texting them first. When asked about this trend, a spokesman for the Emily Post Institute for Etiquette said, “I don’t think we’re going to land on one side of this issue or the other.” Turns out a clear majority (81 %) of our pollers say there’s no need to text, pick up the phone anytime. Only 13% said they want to receive a text before a call and 6% said they prefer no calls, only texts.