Anti-Incumbent Sentiment at Record High

Anti-Incumbent Sentiment at Record High

on Wed, 16 Oct 2013

Anti-incumbent sentiment is at an all-time high as Americans become more disgusted with a Congress that is setting records for low approval ratings. 

According to a Pew Research survey, "a record-high 74% of registered voters now say that most members of Congress should not be reelected in 2014," and only 18% say that most lawmakers in Congress should be reelected. 

Pew notes "at similar points in both the 2010 and 2006 midterm cycles only about half of registered voters wanted to see most representatives replaced." In addition, though "voters have been more positive about reelecting their own members of Congress than members as a whole... only 48% of voters say their own member of Congress should be reelected" while "38% say he or she should be replaced."

"That is as negative a balance on this question as at any point in the last two decades," Pew notes. 

In 2010, Pew notes that only 29% wanted their own Representative defeated in an election, in which 58--the most in more than a half-century--ultimately lost. Today, 36% want their own Representative defeated. 

Democrats (54%) are slightly more likely than Republicans (47%) "to say that their own representative should be reelected." According to the survey, only 43% of self-identified independent voters want their own Representative to be elected.