Dem Enthusiasm Plummets, GOP Takes Generic Lead
Dem voters are unenthusiastic about the '10 elections, worrying party strategists who face an excited GOP base.
Just 30% of Dems are extremely or very enthusiastic about the '10 midtersm, according to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll. That's a drop of 9 points in just 2 months, indicating voters are still upset with their own party. Enthusiasm among registered Dems has dropped from 42% in early Nov. to just 31% now.
Meanwhile, 46% of GOPers say they are enthusiastic about the midterms, the same percentage as a Nov. 1 survey, and enthusiasm is up to 49% among registered GOPers, rising from 43% in Nov.
And, for the first time since '04, Dems have lost their advantage on the generic congressional ballot. Asked which candidate they would prefer to vote for in Nov., RVs said they would choose a GOPer by a 48%-45% margin over the Dem.
Dems have enjoyed a long streak of advantages on the generic ballot. Just before the '06 elections, when the party took control of Congress for the first time in 12 years, Dems had a 20-point advantage on the generic ballot. In '08, Dems held an 8-point edge.
Then again, even GOPers may be in some trouble this year. Just 32% of RVs said they would vote to re-elect an incumbent, while 46% said they would choose a challenger. 66% of voters said a challenger is more likely to bring needed change to government.
54% said a challenger is more likely to represent opinions of people like the respondent, while just 25% said the incumbent would better fit that statement. Challengers also held a 13-point edge when voters were asked to rate honesty and trustworthiness.
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