

Friday, September 12, 2014
(AP Photo)

The Republican Party is on its way to a successful midterm election in spite of some truly awful approval ratings.


Aaron Blake of The Washington Post reports that the GOP is “primed to win six seats and take back the Senate,” which is pretty remarkable considering how many Americans think that party is anything but grand these days.


According to a Washington Post-ABC poll, nearly half of all Americans “strongly” disapprove of GOP members in Congress, and their total negative rating is 72%.


So how is it Republicans are sitting pretty for November?


For starters—according to the Washington Post-ABC News poll—only 25% of Americans think it would be a “bad thing” for the GOP to take over the Senate. Another 32% say the switch would be a “good thing,” and more than half (51%) pretty much just shrug it off. Heck, less than half of Democrats (48%) look down on the idea of a GOP-controlled Senate.


“The GOP certainly has its problems, but in a lot of ways, disgust with the GOP is like disgust with Congress,” Blake wrote. “While people hate Congress, they are much more likely to hold a favorable view of their own member of it. And if a Republican candidate can run a good campaign and avoid being too closely associated with the less-savory elements of his or her national party, that ‘R’ next to his or her name isn't really much of a burden.”


FiveThirtyEight calculates that the Republicans have a 58% probability of regaining control of the Senate, with the battle most likely hinging on races in Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, Colorado, Alaska, Arkansas and Georgia.


As for the House of Representatives, in 2012 Republicans achieved the rare feat of losing the popular vote, but winning a majority of the seats. Despite the fact that 1.4 million more voters chose Democratic candidates over Republican ones, redistricting and gerrymandering gave the Republican Party a 33-seat advantage. There is no reason to believe that the 2014 results will be any different.

-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky


To Learn More:

People Hate the Republican Party. But They Really Don’t. (by Aaron Blake, Washington Post)

FiveThirtyEight’s Senate Forecast (FiveThirtyEight Politics)


62% of Americans Believe the Republican Party is Out of Touch, and 36% of Republicans Agree (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)


jr 4 years ago
We need a 3rd party badly in this country. But neither party will let that happen. Neither party is INTERESTED IN THIS NATION OR ITS CITIZENS, just their own party's and Lobbyists interests. God help us.. They do not care enough about this country or its citizens welfare to maintain the safety or the highways and bridges. But, they will build them in the middle east along with bases (that they do not need there) and no questions asked. Is there any elected official that really care about this Nation and its citizens? I can not name one! I vote against my elected officials each primary, but dark money runs this county, so they stay in office. The Nine people in the Nations court do not even care about us. Why would they rule the way they do, otherwise. And the states and its governors, are a twin brother to those in Congress and Senate. Sad state of affairs. Not real Statesmen today. Just self interest and Greed. If you do not like the way this country is running, VOTE AGAINST YOUR ELECTED PERSON. Don't blame some other elected officials in other states or districts. It starts with your vote AGAINST your elected persons.
Chris 4 years ago
The Republicans are gaming the system at the expense of the people and the country all they care about is getting majority and changing as much as they can to further game the system. Basically they are playing to win and don't give a crap about doing there actual jobs.
guest 4 years ago
"And democrats are at 61% disapproval so.. its not like theyre far and away better. People don't like either"
Quite Likely 4 years ago
So is the answer that we have a screwed up electoral system where the party that gets the most votes doesn't necessarily win?

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