A new CNN poll shows that the Republican Party has yet to benefit from the decline in Democratic fortunes:
WASHINGTON (CNN) — A new national poll indicates that the Democratic party’s becoming less popular with voters. But the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey, released Monday, suggests that the Republican party has not been able to capitalize on the Democrats’ downturn.
Fifty-two percent of people questioned say they have a favorable opinion of the Democratic party, down six points from February. Forty-one percent say they have a positive view of the Republican party, up just two points from February. “Most Americans still have a favorable view of the Democrats; half have an unfavorable view of the GOP,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.
According to the survey, 44 percent say the country would be better off if the Democrats control Congress, with 34 percent saying it’s better if the Republicans controlled Congress.
“By a ten-point margin, Americans say that the country would be better off if the Democrats controlled Congress. That’s down from a 15-point advantage in April, but it is very important to note that the change has not helped the Republicans at all,” says Holland.
In fact, the trend has not favored the Republicans at all. Here’s how the numbers have broken down on that final question over the last three polls:
January 2009:
Democrats: 56%
Republicans: 31%
Neither: 10%
Same: 3%
No Opinion: 1%April 2009:
Democrats: 49% (down 7%)
Republicans 34% (up 3%)
Neither: 11% (up 1%)
Same: 3% (up 1%)
No Opinion: 2% (up 1%)August 2009:
Democrats: 44% (down 5%)
Republicans: 34% (same)
Nether: 15% (up 5%)
Same: 4% (up 1%)
No Opinion: 3% (up 1%)
And the GOP’s favorablility numbers aren’t much better. In the current poll, 50% of those polled had an unfavorable opinion of the GOP, only41% had a favorable opinion. That’s better than its been over the past few months, but at about the same point that it was at right before the 2008 General Election campaign went into full gear. By contrast, the Democratic Party has a 52% favorability rating and a 39% unfavorability, that’s actually better than it was back in April.
Clearly, the GOP still has a long, long way to go.
August 11th, 2009 at 9:12 am
So where are people going? Away from dems, away from reps; to the LP? or just writing off politics all together?