Voters See GOP in Congress Nearly As Extreme

[ChiTownVenture]

Voters Now See GOP in Congress Nearly As Extreme As Democrats

For the first time, voters feel the agenda of congressional Republicans is nearly as extreme as that of Democrats in Congress.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 39% of Likely U.S. Voters say it is more accurate to describe the agenda of Republican members of Congress as mainstream. Slightly more voters (43%), however, believe it’s more accurate to label the GOP agenda as extreme. Eighteen percent (18%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Prior to the latest survey, the number who viewed the GOP agenda as extreme bounced between 38% and 40% in five surveys since last August. Meanwhile, the number who saw the agenda as mainstream ranged from 40% to 45%.

Forty-seven percent (47%) of voters view the agenda of congressional Democrats as extreme, up two points from last month. Thirty-seven percent (37%) see the Democrats’ agenda as mainstream. Sixteen percent (16%) are undecided.

Since last year, the number of voters who describe the Democratic agenda as mainstream has ranged from 32% to 40%. Those who felt it is extreme have run from 45% to 57%.

Not surprisingly, strong majorities of Democratic and Republican voters describe their own party’s agenda as mainstream. A plurality of voters not affiliated with either major political party views the agendas of both parties in Congress as extreme.

Among Political Class voters, 67% say the Republican agenda in Congress is extreme, while 63% view the Democratic congressional agenda as mainstream. But 59% of Mainstream voters regard the Democratic agenda as extreme, while a plurality (47%) describes the GOP agenda as mainstream.

www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/june_2011/voters_now_see_gop_in_congress_nearly_as_extreme_as_democrats

[ChiTownVenture]

Interesting poll, we will see if this holds true up to the elections. IMO both Democrats and Republicans have a uphill battle, but also the opportunity to take over the majority if one or the other reels in the extremists in their party.

[ChiTownVenture]

For the second week in a row, a generic Republican candidate edges President Obama 45% to 42% among Likely U.S. Voters in a hypothetical 2012 election matchup, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Three percent (3%) favor some other candidate, and 10% remain undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

In weekly surveys since the beginning of May, support for both the president and a generic Republican have remained in the narrow range of 42% to 45%. Rasmussen Reports will provide new data on this generic matchup each week until the field of prospective Republican nominees narrows to a few serious contenders.

Interestingly, however, while 54% of voters view Obama as qualified to be president, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is the only Republican 2012 hopeful that a sizable number of voters considers qualified for the White House. Forty-nine percent (49%) say Romney is qualified to be president.

www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_presidential_election/generic_presidential_ballot/election_2012_generic_presidential_ballot


If there are no major changes between now and the elections, it may come down to that 10% undecided.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Nearly



I know it'll take you a minute to figure out this article is a rare admission of where the Democratic Party stands with voters....

[ChiTownVenture]

Jun 8, 2011 8:28:56 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Nearly



I know it'll take you a minute to figure out this article is a rare admission of where the Democratic Party stands with voters....

Admission by whom, Rasmussen? It's a poll showing that feelings are shifting away from Republicans and Democrats to somewhere in the middle.

But you can take it as you want.

[ChiTownVenture]

Majorities of Americans approve of the way President Obama is handling terrorism (63%), Afghanistan (53%), and foreign affairs (51%), all of which show improvement after Osama bin Laden's death. However, majorities disapprove of Obama on the economy and the deficit, with little recent change in these ratings.

www.gallup.com/poll/147956/Obama-Approval-International-Issues-Not-Economy.aspx

New results from Gallup regarding Obama.