Club For Growth Poll Spells Trouble For GOP
A new survey commissioned by the Club For Growth forebodes major problems for congressional Republicans at the ballot box unless, the conservative group says, a change is made in the House GOP leadership.
The survey of voters in 20 congressional districts currently held by GOP incumbents shows Republicans struggling both in generic match-ups against Democrats and on the specific issues of corruption and ethics. The release of the group's polling comes two days before the GOP conference is scheduled to vote on a new majority leader; the Club For Growth has endorsed Arizona Rep. John Shadegg in the race.
There appears to be little good news in the data for Republicans. Only 29 percent of the sample said America was on the "right track" at the moment compared to 62 percent who said it had gone off in the "wrong direction." President Bush was viewed favorably by 40 percent and unfavorably by 52 percent -- roughly in keeping with his ratings nationwide in a series of recent polls. Republicans in Congress rated a 35 percent favorable score and a 45 percent unfavorable score -- not much different than congressional Democrats who had a 34/39 favorable-unfavorable score.
The corruption issue appears to be a major problem for Republicans. Asked what "issue or action" the respondents most associated with the current Republican leadership, "corrupt/dishonest" ranked second behind only Iraq in voters' minds. And when asked to describe the "level of ethical misconduct in Congress today," 80 percent of those tested said the transgressions were either "serious" (50 percent) or "scandalous" (30 percent). Only 14 percent described them as "minor."
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