Editor&Publisher: Gallup: Democrats Strengthen Position as Favorites in November Elections
By E&P Staff
Published: April 18, 2006
NEW YORK
A report on a new Gallup poll released Tuesday reveals that Democrats have opened a 10% lead over Republicans among the public as the favored party in this November's critical midterm elections.
Gallup also notes that Democrat-leaning Americans "report heightened levels of enthusiasm about voting this year, a departure from each of the last three midterm elections. Compared with recent midterm elections, Republicans' enthusiasm is lower. The relative enthusiasm Republicans and Democrats express has borne some relation to the outcomes in recent midterm elections."
In the April 7-9 poll, Democrats lead Republicans by 52% to 42% among registered voters in Gallup's generic congressional ballot, a measure of whether voters support the Republican or Democratic U.S. House candidate in their district.
But Gallup also observes, "In midterm elections, fewer than half of eligible voters usually turn out to vote, and Republicans are more likely to turn out than Democrats (the registered voter number assumes equal and full turnout among all party groups). Nevertheless, a double-digit lead on the generic ballot suggests a strong positioning for the Democrats, even with different turnout levels."
That's partly because 48% of Democrats (including independents who lean toward the Democratic Party) say they are more enthusiastic about voting, compared with just 33% of Republicans (including independents who lean toward the Republican Party)....
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