(10/31/08) -

Americans Ponder Control of Washington

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – One third of adults in the United States would like to see the same political organization in control of the executive and legislative branches, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 34 per cent of respondents think it would be better for the country if one party runs both the White House and Congress.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – One third of adults in the United States would like to see the same political organization in control of the executive and legislative branches, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 34 per cent of respondents think it would be better for the country if one party runs both the White House and Congress.

Conversely, 45 per cent of respondents would prefer to have the executive and legislative branches run by different political parties.

American voters renewed the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate in November 2006. In January 2007, the Democratic Party took control of the lower house for the first time since 1994, with 233 lawmakers. A victory for the Democratic candidates for the Senate in Montana and Virginia also gave the party a majority in the upper house. Democratic California congresswoman Nancy Pelosi became the first female speaker of the House.

Illinois senator Barack Obama became the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee on Aug. 28, while Arizona senator John McCain accepted the Republican Party’s nomination on Sept. 4.

Yesterday, Democratic Minnesota Senate candidate Al Franken discussed the importance of the legislative campaign, saying, "If we are going to give Barack Obama the 60 senators he needs to make the change we need then we have got to get to work."

American voters will elect a new president, and renew the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate on Nov. 4.

Polling Data

Which is better for the country? One political party running both the White House and Congress or each being run by a different political party?

Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 likely American voters, conducted on Oct. 22, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.