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U.S. Congress Keeps Low Numbers
(Angus Reid Consultants - CPOD Global Scan) - Many adults in the United States are dissatisfied with their legislative branch, according to a poll by Ipsos released by the Associated Press. 53 per cent of respondents disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job.
In the Nov. 2 congressional ballot, the Republican Party elected 232 lawmakers to the U.S. House of Representatives, while the Democratic Party secured 201 seats. The Republicans also have a majority in the Senate, with 55 members in the 100-seat upper house.
On Mar. 10, Democrat Doris Matsui was sworn in as the new representative from California's fifth district. Matsui won a special election to take over the seat vacated by her late husband Robert Matsui. The Democratic Party now controls 202 seats in the lower house.
Since 1923, 45 widows have been elected to replace their husbands in Capitol Hill.
Polling Data
Overall, do you approve, disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way Congress is handling its job?
Mar. 2005 | Feb. 2004 | Jan. 2005 | |
Approve | 41% | 44% | 41% |
Disapprove | 53% | 52% | 53% |
Mixed feelings | 5% | 3% | 4% |
Source: Ipsos / Associated Press
Methodology: Interviews to 1,001 American adults, conducted from Mar. 7 to Mar. 9, 2005. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.