Dems lose enthusiasm edge in presidential race to GOP: poll

Republicans have erased a double-digit Democratic advantage in enthusiasm for the 2020 presidential election, according to a new poll.

The latest NBC News-Wall Street Journal survey finds that 75 percent of Republicans respondents rated their interest in the election as a 9 or a 10 on a 10-point scale, while 73 percent of Democratic respondents said the same.

{mosads}In the same survey ahead of the 2018 midterm elections, when Democrats picked up 40 seats and a majority in the House, the GOP trailed by double-digits in enthusiasm.

The 2020 election could set a record in voter turnout, with 69 percent of voters in the survey saying they’re excited about heading to the polls. That’s just a few points shy of where voter enthusiasm was a month before the 2016 election.

The NBC-Wall Street Journal poll also had some bad news for President Trump and the Republicans, finding that the president’s approval rating among independent voters is at 38 percent. Trump’s overall approval rating is 8 points higher, at 46 percent.

Overall, 41 percent of respondents said they’re either enthusiastic about or comfortable with voting for Trump for reelection, but only 28 percent of independent voters said the same.

The survey also found that Democrats are facing a minefield on the impeachment question.

While Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has sought to tamp down talk about impeachment, several Democratic House members and 2020 presidential candidates are advocating for the House to begin impeachment proceedings.

The NBC-Wall Street Journal poll found that 45 percent of independent voters surveyed oppose impeachment, compared to only 19 percent who believe the proceedings should begin now. Thirty-four percent of independent respondents said Congress should continue investigating before making a determination on impeachment.

Overall, 48 percent oppose impeachment, while 49 percent support it now or are open to it in the future, if additional information comes to light.

“The American public has reached a hung jury — not innocent, not guilty, and they haven’t reached a consensus,” said NBC-Wall Street Journal pollster Peter Hart.

The NBC News-Wall Street Journal survey of 765 registered voters was conducted between April 28 and May 1 and has a 3.5 percentage-point margin of error.