Poll gauges voter enthusiasm for both parties a week before election

A new PBS News/NPR/Marist survey finds Democrats ahead of Republicans by eight points among likely voters, a margin that widens to 13 points among independents, one week before the midterms. NPR political editor Domenico Montanaro told PBS NewsHour host Geoff Bennett that Democrats look likely to win the House, and that only an unprecedented polling miss would change that. He noted that in every midterm since the turn of the century, the party leading the generic ballot has gained seats. The Senate is harder for Democrats because they would need wins in states Donald Trump carried by double digits.

Enthusiasm also favors Democrats overall: 71 percent say they are very enthusiastic about voting, versus 61 percent of Republicans and 48 percent of independents. Montanaro flagged weak spots, though. Just 42 percent of voters under 45, 53 percent of nonwhite voters and 56 percent of college-educated white women are very enthusiastic, and pro-Republican groups score higher.

Trump's approval among likely voters is 40 percent, with 59 percent disapproving. Forty-four percent describe their vote as mainly against him and 21 percent as for him. Montanaro said Trump is campaigning in Texas and Kansas to prevent low Republican turnout from enlarging Democratic gains.

Summarized by PolitiKool from PBS NewsHour’s reporting. Read the full story at PBS NewsHour →