A Rout?
by digby
I keep hearing that it's inevitable that the Democrats are going to be wiped out in November because everyone hates them so much. But it doesn't necessarily follow that they will lose big if everyone hates the other side just as much:
The Republican Party may have a big election year anyway, but Americans sure don't think much of it or its leadership.
Only 28% of voters in the country say they approve of the current direction of the GOP with 51% disapproving. Even among voters who identify with the party just 54% say they like where it's headed. It's predictable that Democrats would give it very low marks but even among independents just 18% think the Republicans are headed in the right direction while 49% dissent.
Not that the Dems are looking any better. But here's the thing --- every voter ends up having to choose among the candidates who are running. It's just the way it is. Turnout matters, of course, especially in mid-terms. And maybe the hardcore right is more motivated and will prevail (although I would guess that if it's only the 18% that identifies as teabaggers that the Dems can match them.) But since the Republicans are behaving like such asses, I'm not sure it's going to work out the way people think.
Sure, the Dems will probably lose some seats. Just as Al Gore lost the members that came in his coat tails in 2002 (even though he was denied the presidency) Obama will probably lose some this fall as well. But it may not be rout that everyone's predicting. If nobody likes either party, then it implies that we will get more or less the status quo.
On the other hand, there's this. So who knows?
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