Does it matter which party controls Congress?

The U.S. public is increasingly likely to say it does not matter which party controls Congress, according to a new poll. 

A CBS News survey released Wednesday found an all-time high of 45 percent of people agree “it makes no real difference” which party controls Congress because things will “go on just as they did before.” 

{mosads}CBS notes that a narrow majority, 53 percent, continues to believe it matters with party controls Congress. 

Independents are the most disillusioned that a change in party control will make a difference. Fifty-five percent say it would make no difference. Thirty-eight percent of Democrats and 33 percent of Republicans feel the same. 

Congress remains under divided control, with Republicans controlling the House and Democrats controlling the Senate. Congress’s approval rating has hovered near record lows in the past few years. 

The House is not expected to be in play during the midterm elections this year, but it is possible the Senate could change hands. Republicans would need to net six seats in November to win back control. Democrats are defending the majority of seats this midterm election, historically a tough landscape for the party that controls the White House. 

The poll surveyed 1,009 people from May 16-19 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.