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The Democratic Strategist

Political Strategy for a Permanent Democratic Majority

TDS Co-Editor Ruy Teixeira: Obama Trusted by Middle Class More Than GOP

Republicans are understandibly excited by their upcoming House majority. But if they think their popularity will give them an edge over President Obama, they are headed for disappointment. So concludes TDS Co-Editor Ruy Teixeira’s analysis of a Washington Post/ABC News poll in his latest ‘Public Opinion Snapshot.’:

In the poll, respondents were asked whether they trusted President Obama or the Republicans in Congress to do a better job with the main problems facing the country. The public trusted President Obama more by a 43-38 plurality.
Obama’s margin on this question is slim, but it’s still quite a contrast to the analogous question asked after the 2006 election by the same pollsters. At that point, President George W. Bush was only trusted by 31 percent of the nation to cope with the country’s problems–far less than the 57 percent who trusted the Democrats in Congress.

And when it comes to helping the middle class in particular, Teixeira notes, President Obama’s edge increases significantly:

Perhaps one reason President Obama has this level of trust is because he is still viewed as being on the side of the middle class. Fifty-three percent in the same survey thought President Obama could be trusted to do a better job of helping the middle class, compared to just 38 percent who trusted Republicans in Congress to do the better job.

Some Republicans may think they can gain traction by attacking the President. But after everything that’s happened so far, they are still spinning their wheels.

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