by Casey Harper
Republicans have a sizable edge over Democrats as the midterm elections draw closer, according to a new poll.
Updated CBS News’ Battleground Tracker data now projects 230 House seats for Republicans, compared to 205 for Democrats. Currently, Democrats have a slight majority in the House 221 to 214.
If Republicans retake the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s four-year run in charge would be over.
Midterm elections have featured big losses for the party of the incumbent administration in recent years for both Republicans and Democrats. The latest polling shows that same pattern is projected to repeat itself unless something changes.
Real Clear Politics polling currently predicts 47 Republican U.S. senators and 46 Democratic senators with 7 marked “toss-up.”
At the same time, President Joe Biden’s approval rating has steadily dropped since taking office. Gallup’s approval rating hit a new low for Biden over the weekend, dropping to 38% with 59% of Americans disapproving.
“A year ago, Biden’s honeymoon period came to an end when his approval rating dropped to 50% amid a surge in U.S. coronavirus cases,” Gallup said. “Since then, his public support has eroded after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the highest inflation in four decades, record-high gas prices and continuing supply chain issues.”
Those figures are lower than Biden’s predecessors.
“No president elected to his first term has had a lower sixth-quarter average than Biden, although Jimmy Carter’s and Donald Trump’s ratings were only slightly better, at 42%,” Gallup said. “Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan also averaged below majority approval.”
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Casey Harper is a Senior Reporter for the Washington, D.C. Bureau. He previously worked for The Daily Caller, The Hill, and Sinclair Broadcast Group. A graduate of Hillsdale College, Casey’s work has also appeared in Fox News, Fox Business, and USA Today.
