Dems Retake Lead On Generic Congressional Ballot, But Not On The Issues

Even though Democrats have retaken the lead on the Generic Congressional Ballot, voters are almost evenly divided when asked which party they trust more to handle the 15 important issues regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports, but they continue to favor Republicans most on the number one issue, the economy.

Democrats led by just one point – 39% – 38% on the Generic Congressional Ballot. Ironically, Joe Conason has a piece out on Rasmussen Reports that I will soon be responding to shortly. He claims that Republican extremism is holding up progress and lays at the core of the party’s challenges. Hogwash, and I will prove him and Democracy Corps dead wrong.

Nevertheless, a new national telephone surveying finds that the GOP is trusted more on seven issues, the Democrats on eight. In late May and early June, voters trusted Republicans more on 10 out of 15 issues after the post-election bounce for President Obama and his party had subsided. That was a complete reversal from March.

Republicans are trusted more on the economy, taxes, job creation, government spending, issues affecting small business, gun control and national security.  Democrats earn more trust from voters when it comes to energy policy, the environment, Afghanistan, immigration, government ethics and corruption, health care, Social Security and education. On three of these issues, however, Democrats post just a one-point lead.

National Surveys of 1,000 Likely Voters
July 18-19, 24-25 & 28-29, 2013