Poll: Dems lead GOP by 8 points on generic House ballot

Democrats hold an 8-point edge on Republicans, 49 percent to 41 percent, on a generic ballot ahead November’s midterm elections, according to a poll released Thursday by Monmouth University.

Earlier versions of the same poll showed Democrats leading by 9 points in March, after leading by just 2 points in January.

{mosads}The Monmouth survey also found the GOP’s signature tax law to be unpopular, with 40 percent approving of it while 44 percent disapprove. 

The poll found that public opinion of Congress is overwhelmingly negative, with 17 percent approving of the job the current Congress is doing while 71 percent disapprove. 

Both parties’ congressional leaders — Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) — all had underwater approval ratings as well.

Of the four, only McConnell has a net negative approval rating among members of his own party.

“The House race outlook has held fairly steady over the past two months. Even though the public has a negative view of both the Republican and Democrat caucuses, the GOP tends to take more of a hit on the ballot test because it is the party in power,” said Patrick Murray, director of Monmouth’s polling institute.

Democrats are seeking to take back control of the House for the first time since 2010.

President Trump warned during a rally Saturday that if Democrats reclaimed control of the House, they may seek to impeach him.

The polling institute surveyed 803 respondents ages 18 and older by telephone from April 26 to 30 across the U.S. The poll has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.