Poll: Lowest-ever approval for GOP lawmakers

By Tal Kopan, Politico

Americans overwhelmingly oppose shutting down government to stop Obamacare, according to a new poll on Tuesday, with Republicans in Congress getting their lowest approval marks to date.

Democrats have their best approval rating since May, the poll indicates. Photo from AP.

Americans were against a government shutdown as a way to stop the president’s health care law from taking effect 72 percent to 22 percent in a Quinnipiac poll . The more than three-to-one ratio was despite a near even split on Obamacare itself, with 45 percent support to 47 percent opposition.

Republicans in Congress also got record-low marks in the poll. Just 17 percent of Americans approved of the job GOP lawmakers were doing, and 74 percent disapproved. That’s the lowest approval ever in Quinnipiac’s polling, and is down from August and July this summer.

Those surveyed also disapproved of Democrats in Congress, 60 percent to 32 percent, but that was the best approval rating Democrats have seen since May.

President Barack Obama’s numbers also continued to be underwater, with voters disapproving of his job 49 percent to 45 percent.

Voters were also asked if the 2014 House election were today, if they would vote for a Democrat or Republican. Americans chose a Democrat over a Republican 43 percent to 34 percent, the biggest margin for Democrats since this spring and a far cry from the even 38 percent to 38 percent registered in late May.

Read the full story by Tal Kopan from Politico.