Republican Party’s popularity drops to 24-year low

[DesertRat]

Republican officials aren’t at all pleased with the prevailing political winds, or the likelihood of Donald Trump becoming the party’s presidential nominee. But they have at least one thing going for them: they have time to put together a plan to mitigate their losses.

With that in mind, the New York Times reports today that GOP incumbents and candidates are shifting their focus to “ticket-splitting voters” who have no qualms about dividing up their election ballot, supporting Democratic and Republican candidates at the same time. The thinking, obviously, is predicated on the notion that at least some of the electorate might reject Trump at the top of the ballot, while also supporting GOP hopefuls down-ballot.

And while Republicans may not have any other choice but to pursue such a strategy, their challenge is exacerbated by the GOP plunging support. As Rachel noted on the show last night, the Pew Research Center published a striking new report yesterday:
The Republican Party’s image, already quite negative, has slipped since last fall. Currently 33% of the public has a favorable impression of the Republican Party, while 62% have an unfavorable view. Unfavorable opinions of the GOP are now as high as at any point since 1992.

In October, 37% viewed the Republican Party favorably and 58% viewed it unfavorably. The decline in favorability since then has largely come among Republicans themselves: In the current survey, 68% of Republicans view their party positively, down from 79% last fall.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/republican-partys-popularity-drops-24-year-low

[underpants]

1. Thank god for gerrymandering and the drama news industry

Without those they would have been OVER in2006.

[LiberalArkie]

2. I wonder why? Have they even wondered why people would prefer VD to being around a Republican?

[Agnosticsherbet]

3. 24 Year Low: I love the smell of Republican Panic in the afternoon.

It smells like victory.

They are exactly where they put themselves.

[DesertRat]

5. Absolutely! nt

[Hekate]

4. Flop sweat coming up

[smirkymonkey]

6. K&R

[Photographer]

7. Seems as if popularity and R based IQs are going hand in hand. n /t

[lpbk2713]

8. I never would have guessed they were headed that way.

[DesertRat]

9. Haha

[Fumesucker]

10. And yet they are breaking records for turnout, and beating the Democrats in total numbers

A very strange season politically.

[GOPblows431]

11. A 33% approval rating is still too damn high

Ideally, the GOP's approval rating should be a negative number. But I suppose this is progress overall.

[tenderfoot]

12. That may well be but they're still popular with their die hard supporters here.

Why that is? God only knows.