Republicans have bounced back to a seven-point lead on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, August 14. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for their district’s Republican congressional candidate, while 37% would choose the Democrat instead. The GOP’s lead is up five points from a week ago, the first full week survey since Congress and the president agreed on a spending cuts deal to raise the federal debt ceiling. Last week’s two-point gap was the narrowest lead Republicans had held since mid-May.
Republicans have led on the Generic Congressional Ballot every week since June 2009, leading by as much as 12 points and as little as two. The week before Election Day last November, support for Republicans peaked at 51%, the highest level of support either party has enjoyed in the last two years. GOP support has remained in the narrow range of 41% to 44% since late March, while Democrats have earned 37% to 40% in the same period.
