"Gallup poll suggests 'Congress could be in for a major shake-up'"

[applegrove]

Gallup poll suggests 'Congress could be in for a major shake-up'

By David Lightman at McClatchy Washington Bureau


http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/01/24/215627/gallup-poll-suggests-congress.html

"SNIP...................................

"Consistent with abysmally low congressional approval ratings and widespread dissatisfaction with the nation's system of government, the proportion of registered voters saying Congress deserves re-election has hit an all-time low of 17 percent. While Congress as an institution is no stranger to voter disenchantment, American voters are usually more charitable in their assessments of their own representatives in the national legislature. But even this has fallen to a new trough.

"Typically, results like these have presaged significant turnover in Congress, such as in 1994, 2006, and 2010. So Congress could be headed for a major shake-up in its membership this fall.

"However, unlike those three years, when one party controlled both houses of Congress, the beneficiary of the anti-incumbent sentiment is not clear in the current situation, in which one party controls the House and the other, the Senate. Partisans on both sides of the aisle are displeased with Congress. But with so few voters saying they are willing to re-elect their own representative, it suggests that many officeholders will be vulnerable, if not in the general election, then perhaps in the host of competitive primaries soon to take place."

.....
Judging by net seats lost in an election as a percentage of the overall number of seats, 2010, 1994, and 2006 register as the top three recent elections. All of these years had election-year averages of 41% or fewer voters saying most of Congress deserved re-election, with the Republican-wave election of 2010 registering the lowest, 30% -- still 13 percentage points higher than the current reading.

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/01/24/215627/gallup-poll-suggests-congress.html#storylink=cpy

...................................SNIP"

[frazzled]

1. I think those "competitive primaries" are going to be occurring

mainly on the Republican side.

Whatever disappointment we Democrats have with Congress, we in general don't feel like it's the fault of our own representatives or senators, but rather the result of Republican craziness and obstruction. (The exception would be any Democrats who have abetted such obstruction, but they're relatively rare.)

As for the general elections: I think people will, in the main, vote for the candidates of the two parties as they usually do. The very blue states and districts will remain blue, the very red states and districts will remain red, and the only interest will be in the increasingly few states that go back and forth--the purple ones.

[Warpy]

2. I think you're right about that

because the Kochs have a hit list of any Congessman who has ever actually worked with the Democrats on consensus and want to replace them with non thinking yahoos who can be trusted to do what they're told.

It remains to be seen whether a bunch of slick TV ads are going to sucker people into voting for candidates who are that insane.

[pscot]

4. I read that they're going all in

on this year's elections. If they get what they want, the john Birch Society will be running the country. Scarey times.

[loudsue]

5. They have been running anti obamacare/anti-kay hagan commercials 20 times a night in NC

They are determined to replace every democrat in north carolina with a republican. In 2012, for the first time in over 100 years, NC has a republican controlled house, senate and governor. We owe all that to the koch heads who have blanketed the state with money to change the fracking laws.

We are so totally screwn.

[yeoman6987]

10. Are we going to lose this seat?

Of all the Senate Seats, I am most worried about her. She won in 2008 which was a big Democratic year….One I wish would happen every election and she ran against sleepy Elizabeth Dole who seemed uninterested in running again. What are her chances? I haven't paid attention too much but always hear her seat is in most jeopardy. One thing I don't know is who is running against her? Have they announced? I guess i need to get off the pot and send her a donation instead of being so out of touch.

[loudsue]

12. I don't know who is running against Kay Hagan. I do know that she won't be re-elected. The dem

party won't fight for anything around here. We need Howard Dean back in the worst way.

[liberal_at_heart]

7. Patty Murray probably will not be getting my vote after the budget deal she agreed to.

I am unhappy enough to not vote for the incumbent. And she is not the only democrat I am unhappy with. Medical marijuana and education will be big issues for me. Democrats have failed on education especially in WA. Our own state supreme court ruled that our state legislature has failed to properly fund K-12 education. It's time to hold them accountable.

[Shrike47]

8. The problem is, the alternative will be a Republican and infinitely worse.

They don't always do what I want, but at least they aren't nuts.

[yeoman6987]

9. I wish people would….

I wish people would start voting their own politician out. For some reason, people hate everyone else's Representative except for their own. I really wish we could have a 100 percent clean slate for all House Representatives. However, the voting public will continue to vote for their representative and we will again have to suffer. I know these are blanket statements, but the public has always hated Congress, but has not changed their voting habits much with regards to their own. Since we are so boring as a whole, the House of Representatives will have less Republicans but they will control the House. The Senate is most worrisome. We may lose the Senate but if we do not by a wide majority. However, it does seem a little different then any off year election where people seem to be paying attention and may actually show up and vote on the Democratic Side. If that happens, my rant is totally meaningless.

[yeoman6987]

11. Glory Be!

I thought that the competitive races were in the Red states with Democratic Senators. I love coming to this place and reading the truth. I am so glad that we don't have anything to worry about as competitive races are on the Republican side and that we are going to vote Democrat in mass like 2008 and 2012. You make me feel so much better. Thank you! Have a great weekend!!!

[Cha]

3. thanks appleg!

We're gonna fight hard to make it so!

[DeSwiss]

6. K&R