Democrats, according to a new Pew Research Center/USA Today survey, are "burdened by an uneven economic recovery and a stubbornly unpopular health care law"--a recipe for trouble in the midterm elections.
Forty-four percent approve of the job President Barack Obama is doing, about the same as December. Republicans fare worse--about one-fourth approve of the job GOP congressional leaders are doing.
But, the poll noted, "the public is divided over whether the economic policies of GOP leaders or Obama’s would do more to strengthen the economy over the next few years."
The April 23-27 survey found 47 percent back Republicans candidates in their districts, while 43 percent prefer Democrats.
"The trend over the past six months in the so-called generic ballot shows that Democrats have lost ground," Pew found.
And: "While a majority of voters (54 percent) say that Barack Obama will not be a factor in their vote this fall, more (26 percent) see their vote as a vote against the president than for him (16 percent). In February 2010, 24% of voters saw their vote as for Obama while about as many (20 percent) considered it a vote against him.