These charts were made from the new Fox News Poll (conducted between October 20th and 22nd of a random nationwide sample of 1,020 registered voters, with a 3 point margin of error). Considering the right-wing slant of Fox News, we can be pretty sure they didn't want their poll to show the Republican image has been hurt by their recent action in shutting down the government. But that's just what it does show, and the results mirror those of other recent polls.Like the other polls, the Fox poll shows that voters are not happy with anyone in Washington -- but they are much more angry with Republicans than Democrats (or the president). And this poll didn't just question random adults, but registered voters -- the people who will determine what happens in the 2014 election.
Note that in job approval, these voters rate the president 21 points higher than the congressional Republicans -- and they rate the congressional Democrats 13 points higher than the congressional Republicans (and both of those job approval ratings comparisons far exceed the poll's margin of error). The same is true when the poll asks whether respondents have a favorable or unfavorable opinion. The president has a 45% favorable rating, and the Democratic Party comes in at 43% -- while the teabaggers rate just 31% and the Republican Party only 30%. All congressional leaders are down in the twenties.
This same feeling is reflected in the third chart, which shows who voters would prefer in their House district (if the election was today). About 45% say they would vote for a Democrat, while 33% would vote for a Republican. That's a 12 point difference, far above the margin of error and wider than any other poll has shown so far. And it should trouble a lot of Republican incumbents in fairly competitive districts.
The last chart indicates the voters are ready to rebel against those in Washington. About 77% say they now support term limits for those serving in Congress. And although I didn't chart it, about 72% say they are ready to kick their current elected officials out of office. We could be looking at the beginnings of a voter wave that will radically change the next Congress.
