U.S. President Barack Obama.Chip Somodevilla
Critical parts of the coalition that delivered President Barack Obama to the White House in 2008 and gave Democrats control of Congress in 2006 are switching their allegiance to the Republicans in the final phase of the midterm congressional elections, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.
Republicans have wiped out the advantage held by Democrats in recent election cycles among women, Catholics, less affluent Americans and independents; all of those groups broke for Mr. Obama in 2008 and for congressional Democrats when they grabbed both chambers from the Republicans four years ago, according to exit polls.
The poll found that a greater proportion of women would choose Republicans over Democrats in House races than at any time since exit polls began tracking the breakdown in 1982.
The poll provides a pre-election-day glimpse of a nation so politically disquieted and disappointed in its current trajectory that 57 per cent of the registered voters surveyed said they were more willing to take a chance this year on a candidate with little previous political experience - and more than a quarter of them said they were even willing to back a candidate who holds some views that "seem extreme."
On the economy, the issue most driving the campaign, Republicans have erased the traditional advantage held by Democrats as the party seen as better able to create jobs and, by a wide margin, Republicans continue to be seen as the party better able to reduce the federal budget deficit.
The public wants compromise from both sides. Yet for all of its general unhappiness, it does not seem to be offering any clear guidance for Mr. Obama and the incoming Congress - whoever controls it - on the big issues.
The poll does not measure the strength of individual candidates in specific districts, where indeterminate factors like voter turnout and even weather can affect election day results. And, taken nationally Thursday through Tuesday with interviews of 1,173 adults, the poll did not ask about United States Senate contests, as 14 states do not have Senate races this year (The poll had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points).
But it does offer a clear indication of party strength at the end of what has been a particularly intense and hard-fought mid-term election season with more bad news than good for Mr. Obama and his party.
Over all, 46 per cent of likely voters said they would vote for Republicans and 40 per cent said they would support Democrats.
New York Times News Service