Pew Report Highlights Public Discontent

Posted by Myrna the Minx on April 27, 2006 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Go to the Pew Research Center for some great reports on immigration and religion, immigration and race, public discontent with Congress, and the futility of American dieting.

From the survey of public discontent with Congress (Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted among 1,501 Americans from April 7-16):

* The Democrats’ strength in the midterm ballot test continues to stem from their advantage among independent voters. Half of independents (51%) say they favor the Democratic candidate in their district, compared with just 31% who say they will vote Republican.

* Fully 41% of voters say the current Congress has accomplished less than its recent predecessors — by far the most negative evaluation of Congress’s record in polls since 1997.

* Just 40% say they have a favorable opinion of the Republican Party, down slightly since February (44%); this is the GOP’s lowest favorability mark in surveys dating to 1992. The Democratic Party has a somewhat more positive image (47% favorable); but this also is the lowest recorded by Pew. However, the Democrats hold a decided advantage over the Republicans as the party better able to reform the government.

* By roughly two-to-one (53%-26%), more Americans say the Republican Party has stronger political leaders. In contrast, about as many people believe the Democratic Party has better political leaders as say that about the Republican Party (40% vs. 38%).

A lot of incumbents are in trouble:

Historically, voters have been happier with their own member of Congress than with Congress as a whole. But compared with the fall of 2002, there has been a nine-point increase in the percentage of voters who say they do not want their own U.S. representative reelected. Currently, 28% say this compared with 19% in October 2002. The largest increases in anti-incumbent sentiment are seen among moderate and liberal Republicans (up 15 points, to 25% today), and among independents (up 13 points, to 36%).

The report on public discontent with Congress doesn’t have any cool color graphs like the report on dieting, but its fascinating nonetheless. The most interesting part of it to me was the section on rating potential candidates. Democrats seem more able to open their hearts and minds to some potential Republican candidates, but no cigar(!) on the Republican side. They just plain can’t stand any Democrats except Edwards.

Rice: independents (58%) and Democrats (55%) (impressive considering the war thing)
McCain: independents (68%) and Democrats (66%) (but declining!)
Frist: independents (32%) and Democrats (31%) (are they are on drugs? Teri Schaivo?)
Allen: none–nobody outside Virginia and Ensign’s campaign knows who he is. He also has a fondness for the confederate flag.

Clinton: independents (56%) and Republicans (20%) (surprised the independent #s are high)
Kerry: independents (48%) and Republicans (20%) (was he really that bad?)
Edwards: independents (63%) and Republicans (45%) (I thought they hated trial lawyers)
Warner: non–nobody’s heard of him either.

Being from Virginia is certainly seems like a handicap for Allen and Warner.