Republicans Gain Ground With Public, Poll Shows
Asked which party they will support in the November House elections, Americans split evenly between the parties, with 46 percent choosing Democrats and the same percentage choosing the GOP.
Just four months ago, the Post notes, Democrats held a clear advantage on this question: Fifty-one percent said they would choose Democrats to 39 percent for Republicans.
President Obama's lead over congressional Republicans on perceptions of his handling health care, the economy, the federal budget deficit and terrorism -- which were all more than 20 points last summer -- have slipped. On the economy, for example, his advantage has fallen from 35 points to just five points.
The poll puts President Obama's overall approval rating at 51 percent. It finds that Americans continue to be unimpressed with Congress, with a clear majority disapproving of its performance.
Both this poll and a new Quinnipiac University survey find that a majority of the public opposes trying terrorism suspects in federal courts, as the Obama administration plans to do.
The Quinnipiac survey finds that more than three in four do not want the alleged Christmas Day bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, tried in civilian courts.
Despite this, the Post poll finds that 56 percent of Americans support President Obama's performance when it comes to fighting terrorism, a higher rating than he gets on matters like the economy, health care, jobs and the federal budget deficit.
While the GOP's image has improved, a majority of Americans still view it negatively, according to the Post poll. The Democratic Party fairs slightly better, with 50 percent viewing it positively and 46 percent negatively.
Registered independents break for the GOP 51 percent to 35 percent when it comes to how they will vote in the House races in November, reversing the Democratic advantage with this group before the 2006 midterm elections. Still, majorities of independents view both parties negatively.