These charts represent the findings of a new Rasmussen Poll (taken on August 28th and 29th of a national sample of 1,000 likely voters, with a 3 point margin of error).
Democrats would love for this election to be about jobs, Social Security, Medicare, and the minimum wage. Republicans wish it was about Obamacare, closing the border, and the national; debt. Neither side is getting it's wish. The overriding issue in this election is Congress -- and it's been that way for months. And this poll shows nothing has changed.
Voters know that the two parties have a different view of what needs to be done to get the country and the economy back on track. But they also know these differences are not new -- and in the past the two parties have been able to find some middle ground and compromise for the good of the country. They don't understand why it can't be done right now, and that has made them very angry at Congress. The voters believe members of Congress care more about ideology and their own political futures than they do about the country or its citizens -- and frankly, I believe they are right.
I know the pundits are still saying the Republicans will keep control of the House in this election, but I'm not sure what they are basing that on. The driving force in this election is an anti-incumbent mood among a huge majority of voters. I know there are some safe seats for both parties, but there are also a lot of competitive seats in this election -- and considering the mood of the voters, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see the incumbent lose in a lot of those seats (and more of those incumbents are Republicans than Democrats).
Maybe the pundits are right, but all the polls I have seen tell me this is anybody's election -- and control of the House could be flipped. That's what has happened the last couple of times the voters were unhappy with Congress -- and they are much angrier at Congress this time than ever before.
