Republican brand tanking with electorate

One month before the election, the Republican brand has sustained a severe hit, according to the new ABC News/Washington Post polls. Voters aren't thrilled with the Democratic Party, but compared to the GOP, well:
The favorability ratings for both the GOP and the tea party are totally underwater, with just 39 percent approving of the GOP and 32 percent liking the tea party. Among self-identified party members, Democrats have a five-point edge over Republicans in favorability, 89 percent of Democrats are positive, versus 84 percent of Republicans. And here's where it gets interesting.

The difference is that 32 percent of Americans in this survey identify themselves as Democrats, vs. 25 percent as Republicans, levels that have held essentially steady the past three years. That's down for the GOP, which achieved parity with the Democrats in 2003 but has lost ground since. (Independents now predominate, accounting for 39 percent in this survey.)

Intensity of sentiment is another challenge for the Republican Party: Substantially more Americans see it 'strongly' negatively than strongly positively, 33 percent vs. 18 percent, while the Democratic Party breaks even (28 percent on both sides).
On the other hand, because fewer Democrats are registered to vote, the Democratic Party slips among registered voters to 48-46 percent, favorable-unfavorable, essentially an even split. The GOP, though, remains underwater among registered voters, 42-53 percent.

Governing does matter, something Republicans have seemed to have forgotten. Endless obstruction, mindless devotion to Grover Norquist, disdain for huge swaths of the population, and litmus tests that create presidential candidates like Mitt Romney have turned out to be major turn-offs for American voters. Go figure.

So while the GOP is underwater, let's throw them an anvil. Let's get the House back.

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