Poll Shows Democrats Leading On Generic Congressional Ballot

[Byron]

Poll Shows Democrats Leading On Generic Congressional Ballot
8/12/2011 2:32 PM ET
GALLUPlogo-042710_12Aug11.jpg
(RTTNews) - In a potentially positive sign regarding Democrats' efforts to retake control of the House, the results of a Gallup poll released on Friday showed that Democrats have a notable advantage over Republicans on a generic congressional ballot.

The poll showed that 51 percent of Americans said they would vote for the Democratic candidate in their congressional district if the elections were being held today, while 44 percent said they would vote for the Republican candidate.

While Democrats' seven percentage-point lead is in stark contrast to the ties or Republican leads in most Gallup polls leading up to the 2010 midterm elections, Gallup noted that the Democratic advantage is not as large as those they enjoyed in the 2006 and 2008 congressional election cycles.

Gallup senior editor Lydia Saad said, "The Democratic Party may be better positioned today to win seats in the 2012 congressional elections than it was leading up to the 2010 midterms that resulted in its loss of 63 House seats and majority control."

"However, the Democrats' advantage is currently not as strong as that seen in 2006, when they regained majority control from the Republicans, or in 2008, when they maintained it," she added.

The poll also found that a Tea Party endorsement could have a negative impact on a candidate in 2012, with 42 percent of those surveyed saying they would be less likely to vote for a Tea Party-endorsed candidate compared to 23 percent that said they would be more likely to vote for such a candidate.

Not surprisingly, a notable majority of Democrats said they would be less likely to vote for a Tea Party-endorsed candidate, while a plurality of Republicans said a Tea Party endorsement would make them more likely to vote for a candidate.

Meanwhile 38 percent of Independents said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by the Tea Party compared to 25 percent that said they would be more likely.

"To re-establish a more favorable positioning with voters, the Republican Party will have to deal carefully with the national Tea Party movement," Saad said.

The poll of 1,319 adults, which was conducted August 4th though 7th, has a margin of sampling error of ±4 percentage points.

by RTT Staff Writer

For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com

http://www.rttnews.com/Content/PoliticalNews.aspx?Node=B1&Id=1691382

[Byron]

Course, don't count the Republicretins out. For what they lack in honesty, ethics and principles, they make up for in all that money they get from billionaires like the Koch-sucker brothers! 

[Volitzer]

Like Republicans and Democrats aren't working together to destroy America already.

Americans had better start electing Libertarians and Constittuionalists on their local levels or start getting prepared to go to the FEMA Camps.

[Krista Davenport]

Americans had better start electing Libertarians and Constittuionalists on their local levels or start getting prepared to go to the FEMA Camps.

First, Libertarians and Constitutionalists have to run for those offices nationwide first and they won't. Second, their policies support the rich, too!  So what difference does it make?