A new poll is showing that Democrats are gaining a considerable advantage over their Republican counterpart in the lead up to the 2018 midterm election.
The poll, coming from NBC News and the Wall Street Journal, found that 50 percent of registered voters want a Democratically-controlled Congress as opposed to 40 percent who want Republicans to retain control over the House and Senate.
The Democrats’ lead grew 3 points from a 7-point difference over the GOP back in early April, the last time this survey was conducted.
Interestingly enough, 71 percent of registered voters across all party lines believe the economy has improved. However, not all of them believe President Trump deserves credit for the current economic state. Of that 71 percent who said the economy improved, 27 percent would not give Trump much credit for it as opposed to 44 percent who said they would give Trump some credit.
Trump’s job approval also went up four points, from 40 percent to 44 percent, with 53 percent still disapproving.
Despite this improvement for Trump, 48 percent of registered voters are more likely to support a congressional candidate who is willing to provide a check on the president and his administration, versus 23 percent who said they’re less likely. Meanwhile, 39 percent of registered voters said they would back a congressional candidate who supports President Trump’s immigration and border control policies, whereas 49 percent said they’re less likely.
Then again, Republicans have a case to make. Only 21 percent of registered voters would support a congressional candidate who wants Nancy Pelosi to be the Speaker of the House again.
Democrats haven’t established themselves in this commanding position by proposing a popular platform. Rather, they’ve done it by obstructing Trump’s agenda — something a lot of people want them to do. Republicans once did the same by obstructing President Barack Obama, and Democrats before them by obstructing George W. Bush. After all, the opposition is elected to oppose.
According to this new poll, voters seem most interested in electing a Congress that is a check on Trump and his administration. There’s talk of Democrats’ advantage deflating, and perhaps it will when polls start looking at likely instead of registered voters. But obstruction might just work again.
