Generic Congressional Ballot: Republicans 44%, Democrats 38%
Republicans have jumped back to a six-point lead over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, October 2. This is the widest gap between the two parties in a month of weekly tracking.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for the Republican in their district’s Congressional race if the election was held now, while 38% would choose the Democrat instead.
Last week, Republicans held just a two-point lead over Democrats, 42% to 40%. That tied the narrowest margin between the two parties in the last two years. This time last year, Republicans led the Democrats by three points, 45% to 42%.
Democrats enjoyed a seven-point lead on the Generic Congressional Ballot - 42% to 35% - when Barack Obama took office as president in late January 2009. But every week since June 2009, the GOP candidate has been ahead, 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.
Since the beginning of the year, GOP support has remained in the narrow range of 41% to 45%, while Democrats have earned 35% to 40% in the same period.
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