Poll: Democrats Maintain Edge

Posted by DemFromCT , Daily Kos at 12:11 PM on April 17, 2009.

Charlie Cook looks at his own numbers and comes to a similar conclusion:

As I wrote last week, for clues about what the political environment will be in November 2010, watch the economy, President Obama's job-approval ratings, and the generic congressional ballot test. The jury will be out on each of those factors for another year and a half, but new data hint at where they now stand.

Although the economy continues to be in "one-step-forward, one-step-back" mode, it is doing better than even a month or two ago. And Obama's numbers are holding up impressively well.

I encourage everyone to click that link, but one other thing (among many, including a good generic ballot test for Dems) from that Cook/RT Strategies poll of note:  

Next, voters were asked which of these statements was closest to their own view: "I like Obama personally, and I like his policies"; "I like Obama personally, but I do not like his policies"; "I do not like Obama personally, but I like his policies"; "I do not like Obama personally, and I do not like his policies." A majority, 51 percent, liked Obama and his policies; 23 percent liked him but not his policies; 3 percent did not like him but liked his policies; 13 percent did not like him or his policies; and 11 percent weren't sure.

That should put to rest the "unpopular Obama policy" argument for a few hours. Obama remains more popular than his policies, but the policies are themselves popular enough (54-36). Glomming on to the usual April 15th tax protest fringe doesn't change that.

Tagged as: democrats, republicans, public opinion

DemFromCT is a regular blogger for Daily Kos