Pew Poll Gives GOP Enthusiasm Advantage For Midterms

Feelings, nothing more than feelings…

More Republicans are on the edge of their seats to vote for who will fill the seats of Congress than Democrats, according to a new poll.

In a Pew Research Center poll that measures voter enthusiasm, Republicans were found to be more enthusiastic about voting in November, but they are still not as enthused as they were for the midterm elections four years prior.

Forty-five percent of those polled who plan to vote Republican say they are more enthusiastic about voting this time around than in previous years. Of those who plan to vote Democratic, 37 percent expressed enthusiasm for the November elections. Four years ago, Republicans weighed in at 55 percent, and 42 percent of Democrats were enthusiastic for the midterms.

I’m leery of polls like this because “enthusiastic” Republicans can often turn into “cocky” and let almost certain victory slip away. It does, however, indicate that, just as in 2010, the Democrats don’t have much to get excited about without Barack Obama on the ballot. Or the idea of Barack Obama. The reality can’t be helping.