Republicans have the largest lead in 40 years when it comes to voters' preferences going into the 2022 midterms, with a new poll showing more than half of U.S. voters would prefer a Republican candidate.
An ABC News/Washington Post poll released Sunday shows that 51 per cent of 882 registered voters surveyed would support a GOP candidate in their district in the midterm elections if they were held today while only 41 per cent say they would support a Democrat.
Registered voters were asked in the phone survey: 'If the election for the U.S. House of Representatives were being held today, would you vote for (the Democratic candidate) or (the Republican candidate) in your congressional district?'
Four per cent said they wouldn't vote for either a Republican or Democrat, another 4 per cent said they don't have an opinion and the remaining 1 per cent fall in the 'other' category.
This poll shows the GOP is in the biggest lead over their Democratic counterparts in four decades – since the pollsters started asking the question in November 1981.
Republicans hold their biggest lead in 40 years over Democratic congressional candidates when it comes to registered voters preferences
The GOP lead comes as President Joe Biden's approval hits an all time low of his presidency
Republicans leading Democrats in this category has only happened nine times ever in the 110 polls taken with the question.
It is also only the second time where the advantage has been significant – outside the margin of error. In January 2002, the GOP had a seven point lead over Democrats.
Otherwise, Democrats have consistently out-ranked Republicans in the nation-wide voter preference survey.
Evidence of the shift this year comes off the heels of the Virginia gubernatorial election.
Republican political newcomer Glenn Youngkin emerged victorious over Democrat Terry McAuliffe – a former governor of the Old Dominion State – in the election earlier this month.
Democrats considered the gubernatorial race in Virginia a shoe-in after Biden won the state by 10 points in the 2020 presidential election. They also thought the same of New Jersey, and while the Democrat incumbent did win
