There are some numbers in our new CNN-ORC International poll that should seriously worry President Obama and the Democrats.
Republicans are right now a lot more enthusiastic about voting in the next election than Democrats. Some 64% of Republicans say they are extremely or very enthusiastic compared to only 43% of Democrats.
There were similar numbers in the 2010 mid-term elections and we know how well the Republicans did in Congress, including re-taking the majority in the House.
Democrats, by contrast, were much more enthusiastic in 2006 and 2008, and that certainly showed in the elections then.
But for the president, there may be an even more alarming number.
Among all voters, 59% think that President Obama’s policies will fail compared to only 36% who say they will succeed.
In 2010, 47% thought the president’s policies would fail. And back in 2009, only 32% thought the president’s policies would fail.
You see the trend, and it’s not good for the president’s re-election prospects.
There is still plenty of time for the president and the Democrats to turn this around. But that won’t be easy unless people start seeing some light at the end of the economic tunnel.
