AUBURN, Ala. (EETV)- Voters in many states across the nation are getting ready to head to the polls to see who will represent them during this year’s highly contested midterm election.
The midterm election, which usually has low voter turnout, is traditionally seen as a referendum on the party that controls the White House.
Much of the discussion over the past few months has been whether or not Democrats will muster enough support to retake the House of Representatives, a branch of government they have not controlled since 2010.
Given the large number of Democratic incumbents up for reelection in traditionally Republican states, many pundits see little chance of Democrats regaining control of the Senate.
Recent polls suggest that generic support for Republican candidates has grown. The Real Clear Politics generic congressional polling average on May 27 had Democrats with just a four point lead, a decrease of 8.8 points from the December 27 average which had Democrats with an over 12 point lead.
This comes as President Donald Trump’s approval numbers also continue to rise, with a recently released Reuters poll showing his approval at 47 percent. This is roughly equal to that of former President Barack Obama’s approval average during this point in his presidency.
Political pundits point to several factors effecting the recent polling swing in favor of Republicans, including the large amount of bonuses given due to Republican tax cut, the rise in economic confidence and the victories of more liberal candidates in many early Democratic primaries.
Voters in Alabama will get to decide their nominees on Tuesday June 5
