Dems' midterm advantage narrows among registered voters as Trump's approval rating rises, poll finds

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A new national poll a few weeks before the midterm elections shows the chances of a "blue wave" are far from a slam dunk for the Democrats.

The NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday shows 48 percent of registered voters would prefer having the Democrats in control of Congress, compared to 41 percent supporting the GOP. That 7-point gap has narrowed from the 12-point gap the Democrats had in September.

The poll also showed President Trump’s approval ratings at their highest yet: 47 percent. The poll showed 49 percent disapprove.

“The current data shows that the Democratic advantage has ebbed but still with a large advantage. And the GOP shows some life,” Democratic pollster Fred Yang, who conducted the poll alongside Republican pollster Bill McInturff and Hart Research Associates, told The Wall Street Journal.

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Yang told NBC: “Midterms are about mobilization, and we are headed into the stretch run with unprecedented enthusiasm among both parties.”

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The poll found that 72 percent of Democrats and 68 percent of Republicans are eager for the midterms.

Trump’s approval rating might help to determine which party controls Congress next year. His job rating is up three points over the last month.

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Historically, similar presidential approval ratings right before the midterms have delivered Congress to the opposing party of the president in the White House, as The New York Post reported.

NBC and The Journal reported that the poll of 900 registered voters was conducted Oct. 14-17. The margin of error for registered voters is plus or minus 3.27 percentage points.