Pollster ratings · Head to head

Marist vs. Rasmussen: which pollster is more accurate?

Marist comes out ahead on 5 of 7 measures in the Crosstab Trust Index, which grades pollsters on how close their final polls came to actual results from 1998 to 2022.

★ Ahead
Marist College
B+
Trust Score 61/100 · rank #27
 
Rasmussen Reports
C
Trust Score 27/100 · rank #59

Head to head

MeasureMaristRasmussen
Trust Score61/100 ★27/100
Average error
how far final polls missed the result
4.8 pts ★4.9 pts
Versus expected
error compared with what its races predicted
0.1 worse ★0.3 worse
Consistency
random miss once its tilt is removed
±4.7 pts±4.7 pts
Historical bias
closer to even is better
D+0.4 ★D+1.7
Winners called80% ★67%
Track record
final polls analyzed, 1998–2022
130 polls139 polls
2026 polls1119
2026 lean
versus other polls of the same races
D+3.1D+0.6 ★

2026 races both have polled

RaceMarist (latest)Rasmussen (latest)
Ohio SenateBrown 51, Husted 43 (D+5.1 vs. avg)Brown 46, Husted 43 (even vs. avg)
Michigan SenateEl-Sayed 51, Rogers 44 (D+3.4 vs. avg)El-Sayed 47, Rogers 44 (even vs. avg)
Texas SenateTalarico 50, Paxton 44 (D+3.5 vs. avg)Talarico 46, Paxton 45 (R+0.9 vs. avg)
Iowa SenateTurek 50, Hinson 42 (D+8.1 vs. avg)Turek 47, Hinson 43 (D+2.3 vs. avg)

Compare them in the interactive Trust Index All pollster ratings

More comparisons: Rasmussen Reports vs. YouGov · Marist College vs. YouGov · Emerson College vs. Rasmussen Reports · Emerson College vs. Marist College · Rasmussen Reports vs. University of New Hampshire Survey Center · Marist College vs. University of New Hampshire Survey Center · New York Times/Siena College vs. Rasmussen Reports · Marist College vs. New York Times/Siena College

Frequently asked questions

Which is more accurate, Marist or Rasmussen?

Marist has the smaller average error (4.8 pts vs. 4.9 pts). Overall, marist comes out ahead on 5 of 7 measures in the Crosstab Trust Index (Marist: B+, Trust Score 61; Rasmussen: C, Trust Score 27).

Which leans more Republican in 2026, Marist or Rasmussen?

Rasmussen (D+0.6 versus other polls of the same races) compared with Marist (D+3.1). Lean describes how a pollster's numbers compare with others; it isn't a measure of accuracy.

Have Marist and Rasmussen polled the same 2026 races?

Yes: 4 races in Crosstab's data, including Ohio Senate, Michigan Senate, Texas Senate, Iowa Senate.

Grades: Crosstab Trust Index, computed from FiveThirtyEight's pollster-ratings data (CC BY 4.0), 1998–2022; 2026 measures from Crosstab's polling data.

Updated 2026-10-04 · Crosstab, nonpartisan polling analysis.