Dems hold 6 point lead on generic ballot ahead of midterms

Democrats are maintaining a 6 point lead on the generic congressional ballot less than two weeks before the midterms, according to a new American Barometer survey. 

The poll, conducted by Hill.TV and the HarrisX polling company found that 44 percent of registered voters said they would vote for the Democratic candidate in their district, while 38 percent of registered voters said they would support the Republican candidate.

The Democrats’ lead remains unchanged from the last American Barometer conducted on Oct. 6-7. 

The RealClearPolitics generic congressional vote average on Wednesday showed Democrats leading Republicans by 7.7 percentage points on the generic ballot. 

“We’ve seen a pretty consistent lead on the generic ballot for Democrats. Like you said, the average has been about eight points, and that’s held pretty steady,” Mallory Newall, director of research at Ipsos Public Affairs, told Hill.TV’s Jamal Simmons on “What America’s Thinking.” 

“What we’re also seeing that Democrats continue to hold a lead on enthusiasm including in some of these key districts, but I think when it comes down to it, there’s still a lot of time left between now and the election, and a lot of what’s going to happen I think will depend on turnout,” she added. 

Candidates are in the final stretch of the campaign and trying to woo undecided voters and rally their bases. 

The American Barometer found that 88 percent of Republican voters said they would vote the GOP candidate in their district, while 5 percent said they would vote for the Democratic candidate. 

Ninety percent of Democratic voters said they would vote for their party’s candidate, and five percent said they would cast a vote for the Republican candidate in their district. 

Democrats led with independent voters by 2 points, with 30 percent of independents saying they would support the Democratic candidate, and 28 percent saying they would support the GOP candidate. 

Twenty-six percent of independents said they were unsure on who to support. 

The American Barometer was conducted on October 19-20 among 1,000 registered voters. The sampling margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. 

— Julia Manchester

 


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