We think Congress is doing a better job

October 24, 2012

The Gallup organization has been catching some flak of late, primarily because of its polls that diverged so dramatically from those showing a neck-and-neck race between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.

Some of the grumbling from Democrats might abate a bit after they look at the pollster's latest presidential numbers.

Gallup's tally today finds that among registered voters, Obama is leading his Republican challenger 48 percent to 47 percent. Obama gained a point since Tuesday while Romney lost one.

Among likely voters, Gallup's Oct. 24 poll finds Romney ahead of Obama by 50 percent to 47 percent. However, the data show that Obama's support went up a point and Romney's went down by the same
margin.

But wait. There's more.

Another Gallup poll might cause even more eyebrows to shoot up.

Gallup says Americans now have the most positive view of Congress that they've had in more than a year.

"Twenty-one percent of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing," reports Gallup on its website.


Gallup poll of Congressional approval 102412

That's substantially more than the 13 percent Congressional approval measured in September, according to Gallup, and the highest rating
in any month since May 2011.

The only explanation I can come up with for Gallup's results is that the House and Senate have been in recess since Sept. 21.

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