Gallup: ‘Republican Party favorability highest in seven years’

A new headline from Gallup offers insight which could make Democrats jittery: “Republican Party favorability highest in seven years.”

The pollster offered the evidence in an analysis released Monday.

“Forty-five percent of Americans now have a favorable view of the Republican Party, a nine-point gain from last September’s 36 percent. It is the party’s most positive image since it registered 47 percent in January 2011, shortly after taking control of the House in the 2010 midterm elections. Forty-four percent give the Democratic Party a favorable rating,” wrote Gallup analyst Jim Norman.

“The parity in Republicans’ and Democrats’ favorable ratings marks a change from what has generally been the case since Barack Obama’s election as president in November 2008. Republicans have usually been rated less positively than Democrats over this time, with the Republican Party’s favorability rating for the last decade averaging 39 percent, compared with the Democratic Party’s 44 percent,” Mr. Norman said.

“The overall increase in the favorable image of the Republican Party is a result of a jump in the positive views of Republicans, including independents who lean toward the party. The percentage of Republicans and leaners with favorable views of their party grew from 67 percent last September to 85 percent now,” the analyst said.