Seventy-one percent (71%) of American voters believe that Democrats are at least somewhat likely to retain control of Congress following the 2008 elections. That’s up slightly from 65% in November. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of 800 Likely Voters found that 37% now believe the Democrats are Very Likely to retain control while another 34% believe they are Somewhat Likely to do so.

Only 17% believe the Democrats are not likely to remain in charge. Twelve percent (12%) are not sure.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of Republicans believe it’s likely their party will remain in the Congressional minority following the next election. Eighty-six percent (86%) of Democrats agree.

A plurality (43%) views most Democrats in Congress as politically moderate. Thirty-five percent (35%) say most are politically liberal. On the other side of the aisle, 46% say that most Republicans in Congress are politically conservative while 35% see them as moderate. All of those figures are similar to the results found in November.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) is viewed favorably by 49% of Americans and unfavorably by 39%. Other Congressional Leaders are less well known.

Public opinion on the dominant political issue of our time—the War in Iraq--continues to favor the Democrats. Just 33% believe the President’s troop surge will work. Most Americans favor bringing home all U.S. combat troops from Iraq now or setting a firm timetable to bring them home within a year. For many years, Republicans have been trusted more than Democrats on the issue of national security. Now, the Democrats have pulled even—43% trust the GOP more and an identical number trust the Democrats.

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