Republican Congressional Approval Rises During Government Shutdown

During the recent government shutdown, polling data revealed an unexpected boost in the Republican Party's approval ratings in Congress, despite their control of the House, Senate, and White House. CNN's chief data analyst Harry Enten expressed surprise that the Republican brand improved by about five points since July, according to a Quinnipiac poll, driven by increased approval from both Republicans and Independents. Although overall approval ratings for Congress remain negative, Republicans scored significantly better than Democrats, with 82% of Republicans approving of their party in Congress compared to 58% of Democrats. Despite this modest gain, the Democrats still hold a slight lead in preference for Congress control, but the margin is narrower than typical for an opposition party ahead of midterms. Enten and other analysts warn that this polling shift may influence Republican leaders' reluctance to concede in shutdown negotiations, as their electoral standing appears to benefit. These findings challenge conventional expectations that a government shutdown would harm the party in power, illustrating a complex political landscape heading into upcoming elections.