Gallup:Voters Not Strongly Backing Incumbents for Congress

[Zguy28]

Voters Not Strongly Backing Incumbents for Congress

Percentage backing re-election for their member and most members near all-time lows

http://www.gallup.com/poll/109267/Voters-Strongly-Backing-Incumbents-Congress.aspx

by Jeffrey M. Jones

PRINCETON, NJ -- In a year when approval of Congress has reached a new low, just 36% of U.S. registered voters say most members of Congress deserve re-election. This is among the lowest ratings Gallup has measured in a recent presidential or congressional election year.

These results are based on a July 25-27 USA Today/Gallup poll of 900 registered voters nationwide. The poll was conducted before Congress began a month-long recess late last week.

Gallup has found ratings in the neighborhood of the current 36% in three other election years -- 1992, 1994, and 2006. All of these years brought about significant change in the membership of Congress.

In the 1994 and 2006 midterm election years, when 38% of registered voters said most members of Congress were deserving of another term, enough seats switched party hands that control of Congress switched from one party to the other -- from the Democrats to the Republicans in 1994 and from the Republicans to the Democrats in 2006.

Full Article at Link

[Toe Jam]

The approval rating of congress is almost as low as Bush's.

That's bad.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Dems pick up another 15 House seats and probably 4-5 Senate seats

[GoSkins561]

The approval rating of congress is almost as low as Bush's.

That's bad.

What are you talking about, it's a lot worse.

[Zguy28]

The approval rating of congress is almost as low as Bush's.

That's bad.

Bush is at 30%, Congress at 14%.

[WVUforREDSKINS]

I'm sure this has been said plenty of times around here. But the people voted to elect the dems to shake up the Bush admin and make him a lame duck.

I wouldn't expect much of a change because while everyone hates Congress, they love their Congressman.

[Zguy28]

Nevermind.

I didn't read all the way to the bottom of the article before posting it and got distracted by work. I'm a goofus.

[Henry]

Was it "Do you think most members of Congress deserve re-election" or "Do you think YOUR member of Congress does?"

[SkinsHokieFan]

Do you think these numbers reflect more on Republicans in Congress than Democrats?

What's your reasoning?

Its just a bad year to be a Republican

There will be 2 big flips in VA alone

In the VA-11 District Tom Davis ® is retiring. Gerry Connely (D), who is current chariman of the Fairfax County board will win that seat pretty easily

Mark Warner will flip John Warner's seat and give VA 2 Democratic Senators

And that is just in VA, which is still quite a red state and will probably still go for McCain

Across the board there are more vulnerable R seats then D seats, and the mood of the country is simply not going to give those seats back to Rs

[WVUforREDSKINS]

Was it "Do you think most members of Congress deserve re-election" or "Do you think YOUR member of Congress does?"

:applause:

Exactly. Most people will re-elect their Rep. Keeping the dems most likely in power.

[SkinsHokieFan]

:applause:

Exactly. Most people will re-elect their Rep. Keeping the dems most likely in power.

We all thought that in early 2006 when the polls were similar

Odds are though this year that will be the case.

If Congress has this approval rating with an Obama Presidencey in 2010, Congress will flip back to the Rs

[Toe Jam]

What are you talking about, it's a lot worse.

Misread the information, my bad.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Do you think these numbers reflect more on Republicans in Congress than Democrats?

What's your reasoning?

It's been widely reported that the Dems expect to make significant gains.

And the Republicans expect to lose alot of seats..partially because many Republicans are retiring.

[Midnight Judges]

If by shake-up you mean more Democrats taking Republican seats, I'd say it's a certainty.

As for the approval rating of congress, seems kind of irrelevent. Republicans like Sean Hannity love that number and pretend it means Democrats are in big trouble. But they never seem to want to talk about these numbers:

"Overall, which party -- the Democrats or the Republicans -- do you trust to do a better job in coping with the main problems the nation faces over the next few years?"

Democrats 53%

Republicans 32%

edit, forgot to link:

http://www.pollingreport.com/institut2.htm

[Zguy28]

If by shake-up you mean more Democrats taking Republican seats, I'd say it's a certainty.

As for the approval rating of congress, seems kind of irrelevent. Republicans like Sean Hannity love that number and pretend it means Democrats are in big trouble. But they never seem to want to talk about these numbers:

Democrats 53%

Republicans 32%

edit, forgot to link:

http://www.pollingreport.com/institut2.htm

Actually I meant a shakeup as in the same as 2006 and 1994 etc. where there was power shift the other way.

I'm glad you asked so I could clarify.

[PeterMP]

I thinks it clear that the Dems will gain seats in both houses of Congress.