A CNN poll reveals a not particularly surprising bit of information: Voters are anti-incumbent and angry, new poll finds
A majority — 55 percent — said they are more likely to back a challenger in races on this year’s ballot. Such anti-incumbent sentiment is higher than the 48 percent recorded as “pro-challenger” in a similar survey in 1994, when the GOP took control of both houses of Congress.
This isn’t a big surprise. However, I am surprised as to what seems to be driving it (at least according to the survey):
More than 60 percent of those surveyed said government policies need either major changes or a complete overhaul, while 30 percent said minor changes were needed. Only 7 percent said no change is necessary.
The economy topped the list of respondents’ concerns, with 28 percent calling it the most important issue when deciding how to cast their ballots. Coming second was Iraq at 25 percent, followed by terrorism (18 percent), moral issues (15 percent) and immigration (14 percent).
I suppose that gas prices is the main driving force behind those economy numbers. Still, I am surprised, given all of the other good economic numbers of late that Iraq isn’t the number one issue. Although I will grant 28% v 25% is pretty darn close, but still I would have thought that Iraq would have been far and away the biggest issue. That the economy is up there is well may explain, at least in part, why the mood is “anti-incumbent” rather than “anti-Republican”.
One wonders what the 18% who were concerned with terrorism leans in terms of the nature of the concern–i.e., how many are worried about terrorism and think that the Reps are better at that topic and lean that way and how many are upset with how terrorism is being handled at the moment, and therefore lean to the Dems.
These kinds of polls are interesting, but I often find that they are not all that helpful is really understanding what the outcome of the race will be, leading me back to the notion that we have to look race-by-race.
Update: James Joyner comments on this poll as well, and notes something that I should have noticed: this is a poll of adult Americans, not even registered voters. As such, its usefulness is of question. Certainly CNN’s headline is misleading as a result.
September 5th, 2024 at 9:52 am
That only shows how stupid the voting public is. I would gather to say that a large percentage of those who are angry are mad because they are up to their eyeballs in debt. For most their credit card balance is the economy and with interest rated ticking up they are underwater. The 06 election will be based on emotion rather than common sense and if emotion is involved the Demos will come out ahead.
September 5th, 2024 at 11:49 am
[...] Of course liberal blogs, such as Slublog, Blonde Sense, Middle Earth Journal, and The Democratic Daily do not appear angry about these polling results. Conservative blogs might not be angry, but aren’t thrilled with the results and in some cases are in denial. [...]