From the USA Today:
The poll of 1,000 adults Friday through Sunday has an error margin of +/-3 percentage points.
Among the findings:
• Americans are interested in the election at levels not usually seen in non-presidential years. More than a third have thought “quite a lot” about the congressional elections. Seven of 10 say they are very motivated to get out and vote this year.
• Democrats are particularly engaged: 56% say they are “more enthusiastic about voting than usual,” the highest level recorded since the question was first asked in 1994. Among Republicans, 43% say they are more enthusiastic than usual.
• Americans are increasingly likely to identify themselves as Democrats. Including those who “lean” to one party or the other, 55% call themselves Democrats; 38%, Republicans. That’s the biggest edge for Democrats since 1998. By 54%-38%, the registered voters surveyed say they’d vote for a Democratic congressional candidate over a Republican one if the election were held today.
• That said, voters aren’t particularly enamored of Democratic officeholders. Congressional Democrats have an approval rating of just 38%, 1 percentage point above Bush and 5 points above congressional Republicans.
• Democrats are preferred by double digits to Republicans on four of the five top-ranked issues: Iraq, government corruption, the economy and health care. Republicans are preferred by 11 percentage points on handling terrorism.
• Only 39% say most members of Congress deserve re-election, but 61% say their own representative does. That disparity is common and no guarantee to incumbents. The numbers were similar in July 1994, the year Democrats lost 54 House seats. Then, 60% said their representative deserved re-election; 41% said most members did.
Are you happy with your Congressperson? If not, who is running against them? Do they deserve our support?
