Republicans Edge Ahead of Democrats on 'Generic' Congressional Ballot

Helped by increased support from independents, Republicans now outpoll Democrats by 48 percent to 44 percent when registered voters are asked who they would back on a "generic" ballot for Congress next year, according to a Gallup poll conducted Nov. 5-8. The margin of error is 4 points.

In October, Democrats had a 46 percent to 44 percent edge, and last July they led by 50 percent to 44 percent.

Independents favor Republicans by 52 percent to 30 percent, a GOP edge that was 45 percent to 36 percent in October and 43 percent to 42 percent in July. Gallup said this reflects the same trend that was at work in the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial elections.

Gallup says that Republicans rarely have had the edge over Democrats since it started measuring this voter preference in 1950, because more Americans usually identify as Democrats than Republicans. But it says the generic poll suggests that Republicans seem well-positioned to win back some of their congressional losses in 2006 and 2008.