The survey shows that by 41%-18%, Americans say recent news developments have made them less favorable toward continued Republican control of Congress; by 34%-23% they called themselves more favorably inclined toward Democratic control. It also shows a decline in Mr. Bush’s job approval rating to 39% from 42% earlier this month.

Even more problematic for Republicans’ campaign positions, the survey shows that a 46% plurality of Americans now believes the war in Iraq is hurting the nation’s ability to win the war against terrorism. That’s up from 32% earlier this month when Americans were nearly evenly divided over whether the war was helping, hurting or not making a difference in the war on terrorism.

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The poll also contains signs that the congressional Republican strategy of “localizing” elections to take the spotlight off a politically weakened Mr. Bush isn’t working. Fully two-thirds of voters now say their decision for Congress will be a signal for the Bush administration – with 39% signaling opposition and 28% signaling support. In April, only about half of Americans called their vote a signal for the administration. ~The Wall Street Journal

Via Doug Bandow