Raleigh, N.C. – Just a few months after giving them a majority in the U.S. House, American voters are having second thoughts about the Republican congressional leadership. 43% think John Boehner and company are doing a worse job than Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats did when they were in charge. 36% think the GOP leaders are doing a better job, and 19% say they have been about the same. Independents say by a 44-30 margin that Republicans have been doing worse. Further, 48% trust President Obama more to lead the country in the right direction, while 42% have more faith in the GOP. The sentiment with independents is 49-37 for Obama.
As a consequence, if an election were held today, Americans would vote for the Democrat in their district by a 46-41 margin. The two parties are polarized, but independents split the tie, siding 42-33 with the Democrats after voting heavily for the GOP last year.
Americans also see the Democratic Party as being more mainstream (46%) than extremist (39%). Their opinion of the GOP is almost the opposite: 40% see that party as mainstream, and 48% as extremist. Independents say by a 49-33 margin that the GOP is extremist and by a 49-36 margin that the Democrats are mainstream.
“The conventional wisdom is that Democrats will have a very hard time winning back control of the House next year,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “But that may be wrong- voters have soured on the new Republican majority in record time.”
Americans of all stripes think their representatives and senators should earn far less money than they currently do. A 41% plurality, including 47% of independents, 40% of Republicans, and 37% of Democrats, think congressmen should make between $50,000 and $100,000 a year, not much more than the median household income of about $45,000. Only 7% of American voters think congressmen should bank what they currently do ($150-200,000). A full quarter think they should be paid less than $50,000, including 4% who think they should earn nothing.
PPP surveyed 532 registered American voters from April 7th to 10th. The survey’s margin of error is +/-4.3%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 If there was an election for Congress today,
would you vote for the Democratic or
Republican candidate from your district?
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 46%
Republican……………………………………………… 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%
Q2 Do you think the Republicans are doing a
better job than the Democrats did while in
charge of the House of Representatives, a
worse job, or is it about the same?
Better job ……………………………………………….. 36%
Worse job……………………………………………….. 43%
About the same……………………………………….. 19%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 2%
Q3 Do you have more faith in Barack Obama or
Congressional Republicans to lead the country
in the right direction?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 48%
Congressional Republicans ………………………. 42%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 10%
Q4 If there is a shutdown of the federal
government do you think members of
Congress should continue to receive their
salaries or not?
Should continue to receive their salaries …….. 5%
Should not………………………………………………. 90%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 5%
Q5 In general how much do you think members of
Congress should be paid: nothing, less than
$50,000 a year, $50,000 to $100,000 a year,
$100,001 to $150,000 a year, $150,001 to
$200,000 a year, or more than $200,000 a
year?
Nothing ………………………………………………….. 4%
Less than $50,000 …………………………………… 21%
$50-100,000……………………………………………. 41%
$100,001 to $150,000………………………………. 24%
$150,001 to $200,000………………………………. 7%
More than $200,000…………………………………. 1%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 1%
Q6 Would you describe the Democratic Party more
as mainstream or extremist?
Mainstream…………………………………………….. 46%
Extremist………………………………………………… 39%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%
Q7 Would you describe the Republican Party more
as mainstream or extremist?
Mainstream…………………………………………….. 40%
Extremist………………………………………………… 48%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%
Q8 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 8%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 18%
Moderate………………………………………………… 34%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 27%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 14%
Q9 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 51%
Man……………………………………………………….. 49%
Q10 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a
Republican, press 2. If you are an independent
or identify with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 38%
Republican……………………………………………… 34%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 28%
Q11 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 9%
White …………………………………………………….. 74%
African-American …………………………………….. 11%
Other……………………………………………………… 6%
Q12 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 12%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 25%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 41%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 22%
