Zogby Poll: GOP, Democratic Rank and File Unsettled

[vraiblonde]

Zogby International telephone survey shows Democrats nationally are accepting minority status in Congress; GOP faces weakness in its base

As political posturing for a key Congressional election season begins, neither Republicans nor Democrats across the country appear terribly happy with what they see from their leadership on Capitol Hill, a new Zogby International telephone poll shows.

While 61% of Republicans said they believe the GOP-led Congress has been a success "because it has passed much legislation during the past 11 years that has reflected Republican values," nearly one-third of Republicans think their party leaders in Washington are off-track.

The survey, conducted Feb. 15-18, shows 29% of Republicans rate the GOP leadership in Congress a "failure because it has passed legislation that has caused massive increases in federal spending and has not made meaningful progress on issues important to rank-and-file Republicans."

Ten percent said they agree with neither sentiment, or were unsure.

The survey also contained troubling news for Democrats. While high-profile Democrats in Washington, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, spar with GOP adversaries, 58% of self-described Democrats said they think their leaders should "accept their lower position in Congress and work together with Republicans to craft the best legislation possible."

Only 6% said the top goal for Democrats should be to defeat Republican legislation.

In another sign that Democrats, after spending 11 years in the minority in the U.S. House and most of those years holding minority status in the Senate, are now accepting their lower position, nearly one-quarter of Democrats -- 23% -- said they think Republicans do a better job running Congress.

Twenty percent of Democratic respondents to the latest Zogby Poll said their party leaders in Washington should work to highlight their policy differences with the majority Republicans, while 10% said they should concentrate on bringing federal money home to their own districts.

Despite the criticisms of the Republican Congress and its effectiveness by the GOP rank and file, Democratic voters are even less enthusiastic about their own party's success representing their interests on Capitol Hill. Just over half of those Democrats surveyed (55%) said they think Democrats in Congress have been effective "in representing Democratic values and Democrats nationwide," but 43% said their party representatives in Washington have been unsuccessful in that mission.

Nearly nine months before voters go to the polls, 59% of respondents said they believe it is not likely their member of Congress will be defeated in their re-election efforts this year, while 12% said they are unsure. In what could be a bad sign for Republicans, likely voters in the South -- a GOP stronghold -- appear most unsure their incumbent will win, as just over half -- 53% -- said their congressional representative will likely win re-election. While 32% said it is either somewhat or very likely their incumbent will be defeated this fall, 15% said they were unsure.

National election statistics show 96% of incumbents in the U.S. House, and 88% of U.S. Senate candidates won re-election to their seats in 2004.

The Zogby America poll included 1,039 interviews and carries a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.

Interesting....

[wood Butcher]

Who is this "Zogby American Poll" Don't you know that figures lie and liers figure, or is that Republcans figure. Same difference. Polls can say anything the pollster want them to say or anything the reader wants to read into the results. My mother always said to believe half of what you see, half of what you read, and half of what you hear and you will have half the truth

[vraiblonde]

Originally Posted by wood Butcher

Don't you know that figures lie and liers figure, or is that Republcans figure.

Snap out of it

John Zogby is a self-described liberal Democrat - he blogs on Huffington, for god's sake. His brother is James Zogby, founder of the Arab-American Institute.

What is WITH you people and your goofy ASS-umptions??

[ylexot (Premo)]

Nearly nine months before voters go to the polls, 59% of respondents said they believe it is not likely their member of Congress will be defeated in their re-election efforts this year, while 12% said they are unsure. In what could be a bad sign for Republicans, likely voters in the South -- a GOP stronghold -- appear most unsure their incumbent will win, as just over half -- 53% -- said their congressional representative will likely win re-election. While 32% said it is either somewhat or very likely their incumbent will be defeated this fall, 15% said they were unsure.

Actually, I see that as good news for Republicans. If they are unsure about whether their incumbent will win, they are more likely to go vote for them. If they are sure that the incumbent will win, they are more likely to slack off and not go vote. Of course, the could see it as hopeless and not go vote as well.

wood Butcher, there's no nice way to say this...you're an idiot.

[kom526]

Right now I am ready to leave the GOP and go independent. (I will never succumb to the dark side.) Bush ok's an Arab company to run 6 of our ports. No exit strategy for Iraq, through the roof spending WITH tax cuts!

If Dubya wants to impress me, tell the UAE company to pack sand the only way you get to see an American port is from the deck of a cruise ship. Come up with a WORKABLE exit strategy for Iraq. Cut spending. The 578 votes you get from Slapacheek County, Oklahoma is NOT worth $495 million so they can build a Mall Of America South.

Stop talking about dependence on foreign oil, drill in ANWR. (dems) We should quadruple the amount of vehicles that run on E85 ethanol. I know there are some farmers who have land but can't grow tobacco anymore that would gladly grow corn and save their family lands from McMansion builders.



Disclaimer-I am by no means a politics junkie, but I think our current gov't has lost sight of what is important.

[Ken King (Premo)]

Disclaimer-I am by no means a politics junkie, but I think our current gov't has lost sight of what is important.
You said a mouthful here.

Originally Posted by kom526

Right now I am ready to leave the GOP and go independent. (I will never succumb to the dark side.) Bush ok's an Arab company to run 6 of our ports. No exit strategy for Iraq, through the roof spending WITH tax cuts!

Arab, Chinese, Russian, what does it matter who owns the business?

Exit strategy? Give me a break. How well do you look into the crystal ball and see into the future?

If Dubya wants to impress me, tell the UAE company to pack sand the only way you get to see an American port is from the deck of a cruise ship. Come up with a WORKABLE exit strategy for Iraq. Cut spending. The 578 votes you get from Slapacheek County, Oklahoma is NOT worth $495 million so they can build a Mall Of America South.

Leave the UAE company alone or endorse discrimination, it's that simple. What's next, take the woman's vote away or maybe bring back slavery?

Cut spending? Give the President "line-item veto". Then he could slash pork, but Congress won't do it because they thrive on pork.

Stop talking about dependence on foreign oil, drill in ANWR. (dems) We should quadruple the amount of vehicles that run on E85 ethanol. I know there are some farmers who have land but can't grow tobacco anymore that would gladly grow corn and save their family lands from McMansion builders.

This makes sense, thanks. Definately do something, we can put people on the moon and we ought to be able to develop a re-newable fuel source, but continue to use what we do have access to until we can get a new system inplace.