Politics

GOP Holds Largest Lead In Early Midterm Election Preferences In 40 Years, Poll Shows

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 03: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) holds a news conference to talk about Republican victories in Tuesday's elections with members of the Virginia delegation, including (L-R) Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-VA), Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) and Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA), in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center on November 03, 2021 in Washington, DC. McCarthy pointed to the rising number of Democratic members announcing their retirement and the success of the GOP in state elections as an indication of Democrats being out of touch with American voters. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Kevin Tober Contributor
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Republicans currently have the largest lead in the generic congressional ballot they have had since 1981, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll released Sunday.

“As things stand, if the midterm elections were today, 51 percent of registered voters say they’d support the Republican candidate in their congressional district, 41 percent the Democrat,” reads a press release from Langer Research, which conducted the poll for ABC News/Washington Post. “That’s the biggest lead for the Republicans in 110 ABC/Post polls to ask this question since November 1981. Indeed, it’s only the second time the GOP has held a statistically significant advantage (the other was +7 points in January 2002) and the ninth time it’s held any numerical edge at all.”

Independents, who are often considered the swing vote in elections, would support the GOP candidate by a 50-32 percent margin. This is notable considering they voted +12 points for the Democratic Party in the 2018 elections, which were the most recent midterm election. (RELATED: ‘Feels Like Joe Biden Is Jimmy Carter’: Ted Cruz Says ‘Skyrocketing Inflation’ And ‘Gas Lines’ Make It Feel Like The 1970s Again)

The same poll also shows widespread economic anxiety among Americans. With inflation running at a 30-year high, 70% of Americans say the U.S. economy is in bad shape. That is up from 58% earlier this spring.

Biden’s approval rating has also fallen in the poll to 41%, which matches the generic congressional ballot voter preferences for Democrats. This is down from his approval rating in a recent CNN poll which showed his overall approval rating at 48%.

Biden’s rating is at an all time low for his career among nearly all demographic groups. Independent voters give Biden just 35% approval. However, 63% support the recently passed infrastructure bill and 58% favor the Build Back Better bill.