Post-healthcare Gallup Poll finds Republicans now leading on congressional ballot

Oh-oh.

Turns out the Democratic Congress' passage of the Democratic healthcare legislation signed last week by Democratic President Obama is so wildly popular that a new Gallup Poll finds for the first time this survey cycle registered American voters now prefer that a Republican represent their district.

The new survey of the generic congressional ballot, taken after the massive healthcare bill's partisan votes last month and just released overnight, finds 47% say they'd like a Republican representative and 44% prefer a Democrat.

According to Gallup's interpretation, this new finding would indicate an even stronger GOP outcome if November's midterm elections were held now because Republicans tend to vote at higher rates than members of the president's party.

The Gallup report notes how unusual this kind of finding is:

A Republican advantage among all registered voters in midterm elections has been rare in Gallup's 60-year history of tracking congressional voting preferences, happening only a few times each in the 1950, 1994 and 2002 election cycles -- all years in which Republicans had strong Election Day showings.

The new poll also finds that apparently the long, rancorous healthcare debate has energized voters on both sides, although more so for the GOP. Half of Republicans now say they are enthusiastic about the Nov. 2 vote vs. 35% for Democrats; the previous week's figures were 43% and 25%, respectively.

Historically, the first midterm election of a new president's tenure sees a loss of on average 16 House seats for his party.

A loss of 40 House seats would turn Nancy Pelosi into an ex-speaker.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Cartoon reprinted by permission of the artist, Michael Ramirez, Investors Business Daily.

Comments

[Peter Lineton]

I know I am speaking for the vast majority of people in the United Kingdom when I say we just do not understand that in the 21st century supposedly caring politicians are content that the United States should provide Third World quality healthcare whereby between 30 and 40 million of its citizens depending on whose figures you take as fact.
As I understand it,the proposed Healthcare even now falls far short of what we in the UK have become accustomed to since 1947 with our National Health Service.The NHS is far from perfect and certainly efficiencies could no doubt be made,but treatment is freely available at the point of delivery and is not dependent on ones income or status.
Those that wish to and can afford it can take out additional insurance cover,I have a small policy for myself and my wife but this is purely personal and we have also both recently received long term excellent treatment at very good local hospitals without being bankrupted,
The Republican Party should be ashamed for its continued opposition to the necessary measures going through your Legislature.
Peter Lineton.
England

[Melinda Burns]

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's home district includes SanFrancisco. StarKist Tuna's headquarters are in San Francisco, Pelosi's home district.

StarKist is owned by Del Monte Foods and is a major contributor to Pelosi.

StarKist is the major employer in American Samoa employing 75% of the Samoan work force.

Paul Pelosi, Nancy's husband, owns $17 million dollars of StarKist stock.


In January, 2007 when the minimum wage was increased from $5.15 to $7.25, Pelosi had American Samoa exempted from the increase so Del Monte would not have to pay the higher wage.

This would make Del Monte products less expensive than that of its competitors. When the huge bailout bill was passed, Pelosi added an earmark to the final bill adding $33 million dollars for an "economic development credit in American Samoa "

Pelosi has called the Bush Administration "CORRUPT" and many other things !!!How do you spell "HYPOCRISY" ? She and all of the other crooks in DC need to be removed!! If Obama and his administration were Republicans, the liberal press in this country would be ripping him to shreds, but since the press was so biased in this past election - it's hard to back track now isn't it??

[ahem]

"Ex-speaker." Has a nice ring.

[Jane]

America Rising - November 2, 2010.

Oh, quickly come, November.

[mr b]

Bring back the Republicans! Wars, corruption, sex clubs and the same deficit spending and deregulation that started this mess. We get the government we deserve, or at least the one that Fox News and Andrew Malcolm approve of.

"No, this wasn't written by the Republican National Committee to be read on-air by Fox News personalities; it just seems like it."

[Big Jim Slade]

Isn't turning Pelosi into "an ex-speaker" the point?

Frankly, I'm sick and tired of government telling me what to do. In the business world they'd be fired for such incompetence.

Come November, I'll get my chance to tell THEM what to do.

[Eric]

To say Republicans are energized and enthusiastic about the November elections is an understatment. Right now a lot of Republicans will crawl across broken glass to kick Pelosi and Reid out of power.

[tom]

Geeeez, I really don't like the tone of this article nor the cartoon here...
just because the majority of Americans ARE Democrat and the MAJORITY of Congress IS Democrat and the MAJORITY did back the bill that the CONGRESS mostly wrote does NOT make them stereotype Arab terrorist.
Shame on you again LAT!

[michael]

We need to show those content to go to hell liberals in congress we mean business come November 2nd.

[Hail the Resistance]

Poor ignorant masses. Perhaps enlightened liberals can explain to them why Obama & Company know what's best for them.

[expatriot]

The cartoon is hilarious. Thanks.

[Suck it up Crybaby]

Obama's charm has worn off. Every time he speaks the approval rating for himself and the Dems goes down. America has tired of his lies and broken promises. Talk Obama talk.
www.suckitupcrybaby.com