Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 41%, Democrats 39%
Republicans hold a two-point lead on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, August 7.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for their district’s Republican congressional candidate, while 39% would choose the Democrat instead. The GOP led by four points a week ago. This is the narrowest lead Republicans have held since mid-May and marks the first full-week survey since President Obama and Congress closed a hard-fought deal to raise the federal debt ceiling.
Republicans have led on the Generic Congressional Ballot every week since June 2009, leading by as much as 12 points and as little as two. The week before Election Day last November, support for Republicans peaked at 51%, the highest level of support either party has enjoyed in the last two years. GOP support has remained in the narrow range of 41% to 44% since late March, while Democrats have earned 37% to 40% in the same period.
Democrats enjoyed a seven-point lead on the Generic Congressional Ballot - 42% to 35% - when Obama took office as president in late January 2009.
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