Republican Party approval rate hits all-time low: Poll

Washington, Sep 25 (IANS) The Republican Party's approval rate has hit an all-time low with fewer than three in 10 Americans (29 per cent) holding a favourable view, a CNN poll revealed.

The percentage is the lowest mark for the party since CNN began conducting the poll in 1992.

The previous low point was 30 per cent: once in October 2013 following the federal government shutdown over former President Barack Obama's health care law; and then in December 1998, in the wake of the House of Representatives approving two articles of impeachment against former President Bill Clinton.

Overall approval of the party's leadership is down to 20 per cent, a new low.

Meanwhile, the Republican and Democratic Parties will have to grapple with an increasingly unhappy public as nearly six in 10 Americans (59 per cent) said they disapproved both,
while just 23 per cent said they are were angry at either party, according to the poll.

Turning toward next year's mid-term elections, Democrats appeared to have an enthusiasm advantage as the party tries to win back majority control of the House and Senate.

Nearly a quarter of Democrats, 24 per cent, said they were extremely enthusiastic about voting next year.

Just 14 per cent of Republicans said they were extremely enthusiastic.

While Republicans saw Donald Trump as the clear leader of their party, there was no universal agreement among Democrats about the leader of their party, the poll revealed.

One in five Democrats did not offer a name when asked which leader best reflected the core values of the party.

The top name on the list was former President Barack Obama, who was the choice of 18 per cent of Democrats, followed by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders at 14 per cent, 2016 nominee Hillary Clinton at 10 per cent and former Vice President Joe Biden at 7 per cent.

The CNN poll was conducted by telephone September 17 to 20 among a random national sample of 1,053 adults.