November 3, 2009
Posted: November 3rd, 2009 03:59 PM ET

From
A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll indicates that Americans are divided over whether they'd vote for the Democratic or Republican candidate in their district.
A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll indicates that Americans are divided over whether they'd vote for the Democratic or Republican candidate in their district.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – With a year to go before midterm congressional elections, a new national poll indicates that Americans are divided over whether they'd vote for the Democratic or Republican candidate in their district.

Fifty percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Tuesday say they would vote for the Democratic candidate if the election for the House of Represenatives were held today, with 44 percent saying they'd back the Republican candidate. Five percent say they'd vote for neither major party candidate and 2 percent are undecided.

The 6-point advantage for the Democrats is at the edge of the poll's sampling error.

Other organizations' surveys conducted over the past two months also suggest a division among Americans when it comes to the generic ballot question, which asks a respondent if they would vote for a Democrat or Republican in their congressional district, without naming any specific candidates.

Next November, all 435 seats in the House and more than a third of the Senate seats are up for grabs. Democrats currently hold a 79-seat margin in the House of Representatives, with two seats vacant, and a 20 seat margin in the Senate.


According to the poll, Americans are also divided on whether they have made up their minds regarding the 2010 midterm contests, with 49 percent saying their minds are made up and 45 percent saying they could change their choice.

The survey also indicates that 46 percent of Republicans say they're enthusiastic about voting next year, with 39 percent of Democrats saying they're energized.

"When Democratic and Republican candidates for U.S. House square of a year from now, they may face a very different electorate than the one that put Barack Obama in power a year ago," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "In 2008, Democratic voters were generally more enthusiastic about voting than Republicans; now it's the GOP's turn to benefit from an enthusiasm gap."

But President Barack Obama, unlike Bill Clinton in 1994, currently appears to give Democratic candidates an advantage: The survey suggests that most registered voters say they are more likely to vote for a candidate for Congress who supports Obama. Four in 10 are say they are more likely to vote for a candidate who opposes Obama.

"Historically, these tea leaves are very hard to read," adds Holland. Democrats and Republicans had virtually the same numbers a year before the 1994 midterm elections that put the GOP in power, he says, but the two parties also had roughly the same strength a year before the 2006 midterms that put the Democrats back in the saddle on Capitol Hill. "Add to that the fact that nearly half of all voters say they could change their minds between now and election day, 2010, and it's clear that any prediction would be futile," says Holland.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted October 30-November 1, with 952 registered voters questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Full results (pdf)

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

Filed under: CNN poll • Congress


Proud Member..Party of No   November 3rd, 2009 5:58 pm ET

Typical CNN poll.....now here's the truth:

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 42% would vote for their district’s Republican congressional candidate while 38% would opt for his or her Democratic opponent.

Voters not affiliated with either party continue to heavily favor Republicans, 39% to 23%.

Sniffit   November 3rd, 2009 5:57 pm ET

Let's borrow from Rubio in response to this: "Get the picture?"

Yet another loss for the GOP in its neverending war with irony. Seriously, to use a pic of Obama and Crist behaving cordially all while yelling and screaming that the Dems in Congress won't behave in a bipartisan manner? Who here doesn't see the irony? It's anathema to shake Obama's hand, but the Dems darn well better let you at the table to regurgitate the same tired, disproven, rejected ideological mumbo-jumbo you've been spewing for several decades...and you won't consider it bipartisan unless they adopt all of it...AGAIN...after history and all empirical evidence shows that it's failed us all so miserably?

Irony 1,00,463: GOP 0

normajean   November 3rd, 2009 5:57 pm ET

I"d be wlling to bet good money that when the dust settles on these current races that the Repubs will come up short. Will they realize "why', HECK NO. they couldn't see what trouble they are in if it were tattooed to their forheads.They are too busy remembering how to say "NO".

steve   November 3rd, 2009 5:56 pm ET

both parties are horrible now. the democrats are all turning into far-left liberals that will destroy everything this country stands for, and the republicans are sticking to thier relgious side in which most americans do not want. we need someone who is right down the middle of the two. both sides have good points and beliefs, it's just that right now they are both at the extremes. so, both parties stink, plain and simple. although liberals are doing more to destroy what america stands for.

Wisdom   November 3rd, 2009 5:55 pm ET

The sheer lack of knowledge, intellect, wisdom and a glimmer of recognition for reality by the Warpublicans and Teabaggers in this nation (and thread) is laughable.

We are suffering great damages brought about 100% by the same failed Warpublican policies under the historically recorded, world-wide agreed worst President in US history, George Bush.

If Warpublicans regain control, America has died, and war must be waged against those in our society trying to destroy the nation from what we stand for- if you don't know, listen to the right-wing propagandists, and know we stand for the exact opposite.

Carnell From The Motor City!   November 3rd, 2009 5:51 pm ET

Oh Boo...Hoo! Here We Go Again, HypocriCNN With Its Poll Theory Applications. Some 900-1100 People Called On In A Poll By A Landline Phone, Living Who Knows Where Cannot And Does Not Speak For Me Nor The Entire Countries Interests. These Polls Are Proposterous And Only Fills HypocriCNN's Talking Points.

cm   November 3rd, 2009 5:47 pm ET

Did you not read that the repubs are already boycotting anything to do with climate control. They are so into self and stupid that they can not realize or want to believe that anything this administration wants to achieve is to their benefit. They would stand to lose from their lobbyist. That is why they have fought the health care like they have and have their leaders, Rush, Beck, SP and the tea partiers do their dirty work for them. When Hoffman stated that he would follow Beck's rules and lead accordingly ; that should have told people that this is a dominioncist movement; and a rocky ride.

Ancient Texan   November 3rd, 2009 5:38 pm ET

Some people call themselves Republicans, some Conservatives, others independents. And then, there's the party of "I've had enough of this Liberal Garbage". They will all band togother in 2010 and change the makeup of the Congress and Senate to the point Obama's agenda will unable to move any further to the far left. Then in 2012 sanity will return to Washington.

Zap   November 3rd, 2009 5:36 pm ET

Wow! You guys have no memory whatsoever. The spending was the Republicans for 8 looong years. It takes a democrat to solve the deficit. Republicans take the surplus and start a war with it. You settle for little government domestically yet rain our big government on foreign countries.
Proven in history over and over, Democrats solve domestic problems, Republicans cause foreign problems. Never will you ever see a republican administration solve anything domestic. You guys kill me, we elected democratic to solve domestic issues, yet, give no time at all to fix 8 years of screw ups. All it is in a nut shell, republicans are voted in to fight wars, democrats are voted in to fight the abuse of big business.

S M R   November 3rd, 2009 5:34 pm ET

It's very simple, The Democrats need to hold control of Congress, the Senate and the White House or WE are in DEEP DODO.

D.   November 3rd, 2009 5:28 pm ET

As spending and other change nonsense continues democrats will lose their support and democrat party supporting media will keep on losing their public too. This is a natural reaction to very reactionary and overly activist government, supported by puppet media!

monster zero   November 3rd, 2009 5:27 pm ET

The Democrats are going to lose in 2010 and in 2012 big time, it is inevitable. America has now remembered what one party Democratic dominance results in, TAXES and CHAOS! All those minority sheep that ate the bread of Change and Hope are now beginning to see that they themselves will have to pay for what they receive. Can you see the Cap and Tax 20% cost increases on a minimum wage salary family, ahhh, I can smell the poverty already. The Liberal has a narcissistic belief in their own intellectual superiority that forces them to suppress all those in opposition to their individual agendas and egos, even on common agendas propagated from within their own party. That is why they will FAIL, they cannot help themselves, it is their nature. They are a cancer on our society that consumes itself, we can only hope them a quick and excruciatingly painful death.

Ndubueze Chuku   November 3rd, 2009 5:26 pm ET

Why is CNN so interested in polls that may will put Democrats down? ANy poll that kind of puts DEMs in a tight run, CNN seems to enjoy that and they splatter it all over their website. CNN is beginning to stink like FOX News. Beware!!

Padraig   November 3rd, 2009 5:25 pm ET

Hopefully what has occured over the past 8+ years (8 years of Bush and 10 months of Obama) has finally got the American people more involved in how the government works. Both the Republicans and Democrats have been leading us astray for many years. Bush left the country in disarray and 1 trillion dollars in debt. Obama within less than a year has use taken us to almost 12 trillion in debt (10x more). Our currency and our business infrastructure is severly damaged. The Presidents receive the blame but our House and Senate pushed the dirty work.

All I can say is get out and vote. It is a priveledge that everyone should take and utilize.

Reaganomics Leads To Feudalism   November 3rd, 2009 5:25 pm ET

If you believe that America should have a middle class, vote for the Democrat.

If you believe that America should be a rich/poor feudalist society, with NO middle class, vote for the Republican.

Deuce   November 3rd, 2009 5:23 pm ET

Every win today will be a Republican. CNN, and the rest of Obama's Dreamers will have a million Excuses. As always..

GI Joe   November 3rd, 2009 5:20 pm ET

W is now a motivational speaker. Boner (from Ohio) is an orange man on tv every two hours. Grasssley is a snake.

I've been motivated to switch from R to D and will NEVER switch back. The republicans have become the party of lies, fear, hate, fear, lies, fear - you get the message.

Just look at Foxx from NC (nutcase in senior citizens clothes).

Vote every republican out. If they are not in DC, they can't stop progress.

Sniffit   November 3rd, 2009 5:20 pm ET

"The 6-point advantage for the Democrats is at the edge of the poll's sampling error."

What the heck does that even mean? Why don't you just give us the godforsaken sampling error and stop playing games? Afraid some of us out here actually understand statistics and the meaning of things like, "n – 1", standard deviation, chi squared, etc.?

JJ in Chula Vista, CA   November 3rd, 2009 5:20 pm ET

Republicans keep imagining that the entire world's against them.

Republicans imagine that in the end they're the ones that are "right."

Reality shows the fact that the vast majority of Americans do not hold the Republican's view of the world.

The other reality is that Democrats have not realized that Republicans/Conservatives will complain the loudest and start to win elections through scapegoating techinques utilized in Germany in the 1930s. The parallels are clear as day.

ICARE   November 3rd, 2009 5:19 pm ET

I love to own a magic wand and change Congress overnight, but I feel like it is just impossible.

For now, I will be happy if the DUMMYCRATS are allowed to be the majority in Congress. They CANNOT harm us. Over the course of history, that party has never EVER hurt America.

With the REPUBLI CON, there are horror stories that haunt us to this day. I dont know what to make of them, but we do need them to SCARE jerks like Saddam Hussein, Putin and the rest of the beast out there.

I dont know. I think we need more Independent candidate. But right now, we NEED to grow out of this recession/depression and SPEND LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY in research/green energy and innovative developments. It is th ething to do.

WE NEED NOT BE AFRAID TO SPEND ON GROWING JOBS... It is the right thing to do. I hope for the next few years, Obama ties himself to the best economists out there (Nobel Peace Prize only)...

lila   November 3rd, 2009 5:17 pm ET

If Congress can get a health care bill passed and be working on a climate bill around the 2010 election... they will not have much of a problem getting elected again. The youth is very engaged when it comes to climate change. They will come out to vote for democrats if a serious climate bill is at stake. The youth are not fired up about healthcare the way they are about climate change. The tide will turn heavy for democrats when climate change legislation is at the forefront. The republicans can huff and puff about cost.. but oil is running out and in a very short time we will be looking at $10 a gallon gas if we don't get a climate bill in the works... along side green energy research funding.

Larry Maestas   November 3rd, 2009 5:16 pm ET

One year to change eight. I hope the American people will be patient and let the present administration run its course. I know its going to be tuff when the republicans show contemp and disrespect and act like sheep and unamerican.

ya   November 3rd, 2009 5:14 pm ET

To bad the people that make a difference are to busy working and taking care of their kids to vote. It would be nice if everyone had the day off to vote.

PREDICTA   November 3rd, 2009 5:14 pm ET

Conservatism is coming back in a big way. The stage is set to oust Obama and the Democrats. If job losses continues and inflation kicks starts to climb due to the money the treasury will have to print to satisfy the 500 M per day interest payments to China, I predict a repeat of 1994.

Suzan   November 3rd, 2009 5:11 pm ET

The looks on the faces of the ANGRY far right wing conservatives in some of the pictures is enough to turn off any one whether they are republican, demorcrats, or independents......the Birthers, Tea Baggers, Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, the likes of Wilson and Palin........this is what the GOP has turned into and this is what will bring their party down....The lack of intelligence in Palin and yet she has this faithful following of the far right wing that lacks just as much intelligence as her if not more..........

LacrosseMom   November 3rd, 2009 5:11 pm ET

GOP does not want to live in reality. They believe their own lies. But Americans are a fair people, we are sick and tired of the GOP's politics!

GOP politics:

Pits one American against another. Dividing our Nation!

Scares Seniors by spewing lies about Healthcare with "death panels" and taking away their Medicare. BTW Republicans fought AGAINST Medicare! They called it, socialism!

GOP's mouthpieces like Hannity, Limbaugh, Faux News, Coulter, etc., etc. incite hate. Why would anyone want these thugs in power again?

The GOP controlled the Congress from January 1995 through January 2007 (when the Democrats won a narrow majority). And a GOP president ruled our Nation for the last ........ 8 years........ HOW WAS THAT WORKING FOR YOU AMERICA?

Ron   November 3rd, 2009 5:08 pm ET

Every stinking one of them needs to be thrown out. We need to start with fresh blood, fresh ideas, people that will fight for America and believe in America, regardless of party. Just say no to incumbants.

von   November 3rd, 2009 5:08 pm ET

Both parties have failed us. The two party system is on the way out to make room for politicians that represent what the people want, not coke or boeing or halliburton.

hoofandpick   November 3rd, 2009 5:06 pm ET

I agree with CG and the lonely libertarian of Liverpool New York. We desperately need REAL campaign finance reform. Members of Congress should only be able to collect campaign contributions from American citizens. Limited free TV slots should be given to each candidate and debates should include ALL candidates. After all, this is America. I have been to all of the senate and house buildings. The number of lobbyists fill every lobby and hallway on every floor. The lobbyists are like locusts descending on every member of Congress and staffer alike. Members of Congress are held hostage to the special interest groups and lobbyists. The lobbyists and special interest groups that command huge amounts of money are negatively impacting America and the lives of Americans. It is time to kick the bums out.

Mickey, NY   November 3rd, 2009 5:04 pm ET

They took your job away.
They took your house away.
They took your money away.
They took your early retirement away.
They took thousands of your young soldiers away.
They took your respect away.
They took your future away…

And you would still vote Republican?

It's hard for people who believe in true democracy to understand.

If a foreign country had done this to you, you would have declared WAR on them…

Brown   November 3rd, 2009 5:02 pm ET

Everybody need to go, none of them support or uphold the Constitution.
We need to reduce the size and get rid of the red tape, wasted hours watching grown people having school ground fights, at the risk of taxpayers. What was intended is so far from what has evolved, Lobbist and Corporations currently run the Government with money, favors. All the Agencies this year exposed the money influence, in all areas. When officials can write tax law and completely avoid paying Taxes or declaring personal assets. If it were us the IRS would not need a ruling from the ethics commitee... To date nothing has been done, that is a sad state.
I am still hoping for a sign of Accountability.

tee   November 3rd, 2009 5:00 pm ET

Correct me if I'm wrong.....aren't we still under the Bush tax cuts for the top 1% and big companies?........why arent the providing job....are their profits down?......could it be that they killed the middle class.

GOP = "I hope he fails"   November 3rd, 2009 4:58 pm ET

All of you "vote against incumbent" fools don't get it. Nothing is getting done because the rethugs are blocking everything. If you vote out all the imcubents, that would be a huge win for the very people who are causing the problem. You would be validating their behavior.

This is sinceless. There is an idependent ideology that is just as rigid and blind as either party.

Dar   November 3rd, 2009 4:56 pm ET

It isn't that the rebublicans in goverment are scracing their way back into the lime light. It is the people of America that want CHANGE and we are going to get rid of the trash that is now trying to transform our country into something that is not to our liking. We dont need goverment to be spending money like it's going out of style. But with the cogress and senate that we have in office right now, it isn't going to slow down but only get worse if we dont start getting rid of the trash right now. This is what is happening today, the start of Americans taking back our country.

marc   November 3rd, 2009 4:56 pm ET

It is not as much for Democrats as to let them try to fix the mess left by the republicans. Angry white people is right. They should be angry at them (republicans) for the mess we are in, instead, the tea baggers and Rush-ites want more of the same. What a sorry state of affairs. Anger, Yep at them for their Taliban like ideas. Go move to Afghanistan and live in a cave like Bin Laden and his cronies.

Mike in LR   November 3rd, 2009 4:54 pm ET

Too much can happen between now and 2012. Any poll taken now is meaningless, but sells papers and creates internet traffic.

If things continue to go as they are now we'll see another '94 conservative revolution. Try as he might BO cannot blame Bush for the economy any longer. He has dipped his own hands into the clay and it's his creation now. BO's war (Afghanistan) will be another failure of his administration. And if he doesn't quit the out of control spending the dollar will collapse, inflation will run rampant, and he'll end up the black Jimmy Carter.

aa   November 3rd, 2009 4:52 pm ET

hahaha... Dems will take over more seats trust me.. Republican have nothing to offer more to damage.

C. Farrell, Houston, Tx   November 3rd, 2009 4:50 pm ET

If you are a rich spoiled brat join the Republican Party and you will be in the 1% of the rich. But if you are poor, they have made it clear they don't want anything from you but your vote and from there make it on your own, it's not their fault you are poor.

shmeckel   November 3rd, 2009 4:50 pm ET

50%, 44%, 5%, and 2%. They managed to survey 101% of the participants, that is a pretty good turn out.

John Tiller in Dallas Texas   November 3rd, 2009 4:50 pm ET

What get me is that it took the Republicans 8 years to screw us. Not even a year after a new President has taken over people want what was "promised" to them.

Helllo Rome wasn't built in a day. Do people think you just wake up and the World changes. How stupid are people?

charlie in Maine   November 3rd, 2009 4:48 pm ET

The Democrats fate is in their own hands. If they pass meaningful healthcare reform they will have generational majority like they did when the idiot Republicans of the day voted against Social Security. If they squabble amonst themselves and don't get it passed they will be out quiocker than you can say "Contract on America". Believe me Dems nothing would make the GOP happier than your failure to act. Put the thing out to the floor and dare them to fillibuster it. Show some backbone. As Ben Frankilin said "We must hang together or most assuradly we shall hang seperately"

CG   November 3rd, 2009 4:47 pm ET

It is time to vote all of them out. Let's start by in-acting strict campaign finance reform to eliminate the corporate and special interests from owning the debate and the policy that destroys the democratic process in this country. Neither party is well suited to hold a strong voice in our country and is only interested who's handing them the money.

ICARE   November 3rd, 2009 4:46 pm ET

Republican does not stand for less government control. It stands for letting the rich spoil brats run around. IT allows the SCROOGES to have anything they want in America without oversights.

Less government is a corrupt government (we saw that for the past 8 years)

More government is insane..

What we need is a smart common sense government that knows when to regulate and when to allow for free enterprise.

Steve D   November 3rd, 2009 4:43 pm ET

I really can't see why people love Republicans! Must have short memories. Republicans continue to believe in unregulated capitalism...in short, they favor "rich getting richer". And the worse thing that results from that is EXACTLY what we face now, and that we've faced so many times before...Recession/Depression. I don't mind capitalism, but it's the "unregulated" part that is the problem. They love money more than this country...

Brian from NJ   November 3rd, 2009 4:43 pm ET

It's all about jobs... and the way things are going, that is very bad news for the Democrats. They assigned blame to the other party and said they would fix it by spending $800B... promised to keep unemployment at 8%... didn't happen and most Americans see that only as a failure. The American voter no longer shows patience of any kind and Obama and the Dems did not deliver this year, and it doesn't look like they will next year either... unless they just make stuff up like the stimulus created or saved 650K jobs so far... unless a miracle happens between now and next Nov, the Democrats are going to take a major beating and Obama will need to hire Republicans to fix the mess, just like when Clinton brought in Dick Morris and David Gergen.

Laura, Boston MA   November 3rd, 2009 4:42 pm ET

I think the Dems should keep the Senate but lose the house...why? Because with them in complete power nothing is getting done. This would force them and the white house to work with both political parties not just his own.

Then maybe the POTUS will get some of his promises fulfilled.

demsrulz   November 3rd, 2009 4:42 pm ET

What have republicans ever given to the middle class?

NC   November 3rd, 2009 4:41 pm ET

I used to be a moderate republican, I am now an Independent. The disgusting way the republicans have acted since President Obama took office is not acceptable. I would not get out of the Electric Chair to vote for any republican.

Zago   November 3rd, 2009 4:39 pm ET

CNN needs to review its calculations. The math does not add up (50 dem + 44% rep +5% neither+2% undecided=101% which means fraud. Are we in Aghanistan?

Lola   November 3rd, 2009 4:36 pm ET

A Democratic president is best when coupled with a conservative/republican Congress (Clinton, for example). But any President, especially a Republican will be a disaster under a liberal/democrat Congress (Bush II). Clinton was smart and made all the rigth moves especially with regards to the economy because he learned to work with the conservatives and together were able to pass legislation which helped the economy. Now, if the American people have common sense, they will vote out the democrats in Congress the next 2 election cycles. This folks, will force Obama to work with the conservatives instead of trying to advance his leftist agenda....get rid of the likes of Pelosi and Reid and America will be great again! I didn't vote for Obama but I'm still hopeful that he will do the right thing. The key here is to govern from the center as Clinton did and he'll be fine.

Sam Bass   November 3rd, 2009 4:35 pm ET

I will vote Republican, because the agenda of Democrats is of a more Socialistic nature, to much entitlement, and spend it all..
Republican...

Wake Up   November 3rd, 2009 4:34 pm ET

Less debt, more local power, and no more ridiculous government spending programs. No more bailouts.
Congress should have to read the constitution once per week to understand what their goals are.

jay   November 3rd, 2009 4:34 pm ET

50% + 44% + 5% + 2% = 101%

hmmmm....

http://twitter.com/whybs   November 3rd, 2009 4:34 pm ET

Ideology supplants bipartisanship!

Why do you you think Mitt Romney got 90% of the votes in the Utah primary?

The GOP has been complaining about the health care reform (lengthy, socialist, etc.)! Where is their bill/proposal?

The GOP are thugs! We need to sock it to them hard.

– from someone who voted for Reagan & I'm not black

CRob   November 3rd, 2009 4:33 pm ET

This poll shows everything wrong. We continually complain that we can stand the party politics, but then we get polls like this in which people blindly state they will vote for a party. Whatever happened to voting for the most qualified person? The farther and farther we go down the line of party politics and away from the true people, we only lose ourselves. I tend to vote Republicans, but that doesnt mean any of them have my guaranteed vote, especially when I dont even know whos running yet.

Facts are facts   November 3rd, 2009 4:32 pm ET

GOPs on this page show their usual "strategy" - if the facts don't say what you want, whine about bias rather than acknowledging & dealing with your own shortcomings. That's why we Dems are going to win in 2010 & 2012. Get used to it elephants.

Gerry   November 3rd, 2009 4:31 pm ET

As a independent I am going to look very careful at the incumbent. I am ready to vote against all of them no matter what party they are. Nothing is getting done correctly to fix the mess we are in. You can blame Bush all you want but if you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem.

Right Leaning Independent   November 3rd, 2009 4:30 pm ET

I am voting for the Conservative candidate in my state! We can not afford more big spending Liberals in Washington!! They are spending us to death...

Jobless Recovery   November 3rd, 2009 4:29 pm ET

Both poltical parties are awful. Both parties do not care about them. Incumbents must be voted out until we get a congress that:
- Returns power to the states
- Commits to cutting the deficit
- NO MORE BAILOUTS
This won't happen, because all the parties want is power.

Rob   November 3rd, 2009 4:28 pm ET

Congress will be a much better place with less libs in it. And the country will be much, much better off.

And no ThinkAgain, a majority of Americans DO NOT want a public option. A bunch of idiots maybe, but not a bunch of Americans.

Billy J..Texas..   November 3rd, 2009 4:27 pm ET

I typically hold my nose and vote for the Democrat in most races (not all). But to be honest, if both parties were on fire today, neither would be worth spitting on, to put it out.

The majority of Democrats and Republicans have proven to be completely clueless, spineless and without a smidgen of loyalty to the country or it's regular citizenry. Take the wall street bailouts, war profiteering, and cowtowing to health insurance interests as prime examples of their disregard for the facts, the solutions, or the people.

God Bless wackos like Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich, at least they pay attention (even if their answers ARE too far off the reservation for most of us)

James Michael Roberson   November 3rd, 2009 4:27 pm ET

It i s a shame that actions taken by a government cannot cause change the instant they are made. It just does not happen that way. Actions like what the Democrats are trying to do now will not have any results until far into the future, just as the policies of the republicans are now affecting us in the form of a depressed economy and high unemployment and never ending wars. We need to keep the Democrats in control of our government so that they can guide us back to prosperity and growth. I hope the majority of the electorate see this and vote accordingly

single mom   November 3rd, 2009 4:27 pm ET

CNN says the Republicans are divided vis-a-vis the race in NY's 23rd. I would say, given the events of the past ten months since Obama's inauguration, that the Democrats are also facing divisions within their own party. Or have they forgotten about the town-hall meetings and moderate Democrats resisting outside pressure to vote for Pelosi and Reed's bills?

The extremes have taken over the two primary parties. Time for Americans to first retake their parties or create newer, more moderate ones. And it looks like it has started.

Party Purity will never bring Political Power!   November 3rd, 2009 4:27 pm ET

Not bad numbers.

50% would vote for a Dem and 44 for a repub.

The 2008 numbers were 53 for President Obama to 46 and what's his name..

Dems drop 3, repubs down 2. Basically both parties are keeping the folks that voted for them in '08 happy.

Still no worries, 2010 or 2012 for the Dems regardless of what the neo-cons so loudly proclaim to the contrary.

Although, I do personally encourage the far-right to keep up the routing of all the RINO's out of the republican party.

I am like a God to You and My Name is Rush   November 3rd, 2009 4:27 pm ET

In a related development, over 80 per cent of people interviewed said
that generic congressional polling a year from an election is worth squat.

obummer, 1 and done   November 3rd, 2009 4:26 pm ET

obummer will add more to the deficit than all presidents combined before him.

For 6 of the 8 years we prospered under republican rule. Only after the democrats took control of congress did the economy tank. Thanks to democratic thinking, banks crashed, (clintons doing with fannie mae), and led to what we now see. Anytime govenrnment gets involved, things go south.

so I guess the question is do you want more government control of your life, then vote democratic. If you believe in yourself and want less government control of your life, vote republican.

CG   November 3rd, 2009 4:25 pm ET

Unless the GOP can learn that the emerging radical conservative views do not readily appeal to moderates and some of the independent voters, the party will continue to remain in the wilderness.

Tim Pawlenty should understand this message, it has been the moderate voter that has kept him elected in the heavily Democratic Minnesota.

The Lonely Libertarian of Liverpool NY   November 3rd, 2009 4:25 pm ET

If at all possible I would vote for none of the above. Both of the major parties are owned by the special interests, lobbyists, unions, Wall Street, Banking and PACs. Neither party wants to follow the constitution they only want to do is line their pockets with gifts, vacations and money and look out for themselves.
If this is NOT true then prove it and make campaign contributions legal for individuals only within the current guide lines, along with no money coming from outside the district the representative is running to represent.

Bren   November 3rd, 2009 4:24 pm ET

Republicans and the majority of Independents will be going to the polls like never before in 2010 and 2012---to vote out Obama, Pelosi, and Reid policies-- and the direction that they are taking our economy and country.

The Democrats are going to get clobbered in 2010 and 2012.

E   November 3rd, 2009 4:22 pm ET

Candidates are supposed to represent their constituents, NOT their national party. This pathetic party of no is the one refusing to follow even the most basic principles of Democracy. They spout lies about personal freedom while working every day to take away women's healthcare choices. Pathetic.

DaveM   November 3rd, 2009 4:20 pm ET

After 8 plus years of disastrous Republican rule, I don't think this country can AFFORD to have Republicans in charge again. We've only just began to recover from the economic debacle that marks the Bush legacy. And, while Republicans tout fiscal responsibility, the simple fact is that they don't know the definition of the term. Putting Republicans back in charge would be the final nail in our economy and we could watch this country bow to the emerging superpowers.

John D.   November 3rd, 2009 4:19 pm ET

Are there any other people other than the same people writing the same crap over and over again in here. You people need to do something like maybe get a job. Oh wait, thats why you are called LIBERALS. THAT IS YOUR WHOLE MINUTE MENTALITY. I can poll a bunch of liberals and get the same results. Get a job.

www.twitter.com/whybs   November 3rd, 2009 4:16 pm ET

Unless the GOP shows a GOOD NEW Leader, there is no way a sane mind can / will vote for Republicans!!!

I will not.

Let's face it – don't fool around with this moderates/conservatives etc, if it is is Rush Limbaugh , then it is him ... let us vote for him.

All this government , the spending etc etc is all JUST a theory that needs to be followed. What did you mudhapakkah's do when you crashed the economy – gave BILLIONS to corporates and Pakistan and the like WITH NO conditions / terms!!!! UGLY ARSEHOLES...

Atleast it is good to see another idiot who gives the SAME billions but asks for governance, accountability, responsibility ....

Mojo   November 3rd, 2009 4:14 pm ET

The Democrats and Obama, are about to pass a health bill totaling 1.2 trillion dollars over 10 years, including many giveaways to the insurance/drug industry.

The Republicans and Bush, when in power, passed a 1.2 trillion dollar health care bill over 10 years (that we're paying for now btw, 2006-2015).

It never ends...

G SMITH   November 3rd, 2009 4:13 pm ET

I am proud to be a Republican, I wouldn't lower myself to be a hateful, raciist blame everyone Democrat. Big win in 2010 and 2012 for Republicans. HELP is on the way.

Lou - Manchester, CT   November 3rd, 2009 4:11 pm ET

One must vote for the candidates one believes in. One must keep this in mind, however. How realistic is the expectation of economic recovery in less than 1 year when there has been 8 years of economic disaster.

It will be a long, slow, painful process.

We have to stay the current course or we will back in the same quagmire that got us to where we are today.

seebofubar   November 3rd, 2009 4:11 pm ET

2010 will see the political winds change direction faster than they ever have before. All due to the fact that we have the worst president since Carter. No president in 20 years has had an approval rating drop faster than Obama's. Unfortunatly we have elected a little boy to do a man's job.

Pete East   November 3rd, 2009 4:10 pm ET

Honestly it is too early to tell.

They call me "tater salad"   November 3rd, 2009 4:08 pm ET

You can put me in that 5% that wouldn't vote for either party!!!!

too bad the republiklans lack ideas   November 3rd, 2009 4:07 pm ET

split the house 55% to 44% and the democrats are still in majority...so the tea baggers vitriol and all the hate mongering by the GOP is NOT working! haha!!

aproudmemberoftheunpatrioticmob   November 3rd, 2009 4:07 pm ET

If the story about the Republicans walking out of the Committee meeting after Barbara Boxer ( a known and committed liberal liar) promised that there would be EPA representatives there to answer their questions and then failed to follow through is correct, and if you look at the number of libitards who blasted them for walking out, without reading the full story, then it should be an absolutely rosy year for republicans. The problem will be (as usual) getting their message out through a media controlled by liberals, that have no compuction about lying, cheating and theft (the definition of a liberal).

vette gal   November 3rd, 2009 4:07 pm ET

It should never be a party vote. It should be a vote based on the merits of the candidate. With that said, however, I truly believe it would be in our best interests if the house and senate both had term limits of say 8 years. Since that will probably never occur, we should systematically vote out incumbents after they've been in office for 8 years. That way people that run for office will not be in it for themselves but for the betterment of our country unlike the way it is now. Most politicians are in it for all the perks and freebies they get from lobbyists and obviously could care less about the general populace and are out of touch with the average american's problems because they've been in office way too long!

ThinkAgain   November 3rd, 2009 4:06 pm ET

Democrats will prevail in 2010 because all the Republicans have to offer are failed policies and obstruction.

The majority of Americans (65%) want a public option – Republicans are against it.

It's this kind of "Party Before Country" mentality that has made the Republican Party a sham – and why people are leaving the GOP in droves!

Matthew   November 3rd, 2009 4:05 pm ET

After seeing what damage a Donkey-led Congress can do in a short 3 years, I'll stick to voting for the best candidate.

Anyone that votes based primarily on political party deserves the bad leaders they get.

William   November 3rd, 2009 4:04 pm ET

Whats best for America is never allowing any party to have an unvoidable majority. Things get passed on whims of the majority with out the voice or reason from the other side.

KAREN   November 3rd, 2009 4:03 pm ET

What does this poll even prove? Compare this to last year and Republicans are making there way back. Thats how I see it.
Don't worry CNN there will be clear choices by 2010.

TCM   November 3rd, 2009 4:03 pm ET

what propaganda for the liberal party...on the day of a pivotal race. The dems will be crushed out of congress in 2010...why? Because of their own doing! Calling 952 registered democrats to get their opinions is merely another pathetic ploy by the "CNN Research (?) Corp....

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