A new poll finds that Democrats are the preferred choice of half of American voters as the party they would like to see to control Congress.
The NBC/Wall Street Journal poll finds 50 percent of registered voters agree they would like to see Democrats in charge of Congress, compared to just 39 percent expressing a preference for a GOP-controlled legislature.
Researchers also found Democrats hold a massive edge among the critical 18-to-34-year-old demographic, with 69 percent of those voters aligned behind the idea of them being in control, a 48-point advantage over those pushing for Republicans.
On the same question, Democrats also hold a 54 percent to 34 percent advantage over Republicans among female voters and a 12-point edge, 43 percent to 31 percent, among independents.
Researchers also found the GOP preference edge among white voters is now down to just 2 points, at 46 percent to 44 percent.
Pollsters also found Democrats hold an advantage among voters identifying as having a “high level of interest” in the 2018 midterm elections, with 59 percent of party voters insisting they are intensely tuned in, compared with just 49 percent of Republican voters expressing similar level of interest.
Meanwhile, a recent Associated Press-NORC poll found that President Donald Trump is the most unpopular first-year president ever, garnering just 32 percent approval for his job performance.
With a disapproval rating of 67 percent, more than half of Trump’s critics added they “strongly disapprove” of his job performance.
In addition, seven in 10 respondents, or 70 percent of voters, said they believe the country is “headed in the wrong direction.”
Trump’s first year in the Oval Office has been dogged by strife, with his 2016 campaign election team still under heightened scrutiny over Russian meddling leading up to the election.
Special Counselor Robert Mueller’s investigation is continuing and has intensified in recent weeks with four former Trump campaign officials being criminally charged, including national security adviser Michael Flynn and campaign manager Paul Manafort.
Thus far, Flynn has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, and is now cooperating with Mueller is his ongoing probe.
