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By Ed Adamczyk, UPI
According to new research this week, Democrats have more voter enthusiasm for the midterm elections and more probable political advantages in the Nov. 6 races.
Voter enthusiasm is at a record high and that Democrats have several advantages, research by the Pew Research Center said.
The poll said 72 percent of registered Democratic voters said one of the primary factors in their plan to vote is determining which party controls Congress.
A majority of those polled, 60 percent, said their vote for congressional candidates will be a referendum on the administration of President Donald Trump. Thirty-seven percent said they will cast their vote against Trump, while 23 percent said theirs will support him.
The results are similar to those of a Gallup poll Thursday that said 56 percent of registered voters said they will vote in November. A quarter said their ballot will be a sign of support for Trump, while 31 percent said theirs will be a message against him.
In both surveys, a majority of voters say theirs will be a referendum on the Trump administration.
As things stand now, Democrats have more advantages than Republicans, the Pew study said.
In a "generic ballot," 52 percent of registered voters with a party affiliation said they favored the Democratic candidate, compared to 42 percent who preferred the GOP candidate, the Pew study said. The 10-point differential compares to a 5-point difference, 48 percent Democrat and 43 percent Republican, in June.
The research said while 61 percent of voters said they are enthusiastic about the election, a higher figure than any midterm election in the past two decades, Democrats have exhibited more fervor. Sixty-seven percent of Democrats said they are more enthusiastic than usual, compared to 59 percent of Republicans who answered that way.
The Pew survey also said respondents view the Democratic Party as more concerned with honesty and ethics, people's needs and willingness to work with the other party's leaders, than the Republican Party. Elected Republicans were also viewed as "more extreme in its positions." The Democratic Party also holds a 51-35 percent lead over the GOP in dealing with healthcare, and modest leads on foreign policy and immigration.
Respondents' opinions on dealing with the economy are nearly even, with 41 percent preferring Democrats and 40 preferring Republicans. Republicans held a 9-point lead in that category in June.
Overall, 76 percent of respondents called appointments to the Supreme Court an important issue this fall. It ranks with healthcare (75 percent) and the economy (74 percent) as major issues. The poll was completed before Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's final appearance before the Senate judiciary committee Thursday.
The Pew study polled more than 1,700 people and has a margin of error of 2.7 points. The Gallup poll questioned 1,500 people and carries a margin of error of 3 points.
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