Independents favor Democrats in U.S. poll

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Independent U.S. voters favor Democratic candidates in next month's midterm elections by a 2-1 ratio, a Washington Post-ABC News poll published Tuesday said.

Of 1,200 adults contacted Thursday through Sunday, 59 percent of independent voters said they would vote for Democrats in the Nov. 7 poll, compared with 31 percent who favored Republican candidates.

Yet the divide appears to be more a measure of dissatisfaction with the status quo than a surge for the Democrats, the Post said, as half of the independents said they would vote against the Republican candidate rather than to affirmatively support the Democratic candidate.

Along partisan lines, 95 percent of Democrats said they will support Democratic candidates for the House, while 88 percent of Republicans said they would vote along party lines, the report said.

The poll's approval rating for U.S. President George Bush dipped to 37 percent from 39 percent two weeks ago and down from 42 percent last month.
The poll had a 3-point margin of error.

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