Things are not looking too good for Democrats in the upcoming 2014 midterm elections, and a new George Washington University Battleground poll is, on the surface, more bad news. The respondents were roughly evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, but 64 percent of GOP voters said they are "extremely likely" to vote in November, versus 57 percent of Democrats. President Obama's 44 percent approval rating won't help the Democrats, and a daunting 73 percent said their personal economic situation has stayed the same or gotten worse over the past four years.
But there is one silver lining for Democrats: Marijuana. While 82 percent of respondents disapprove of Congress — with both parties "universally despised," according to Democratic pollster Celinda Lake — 73 percent support medical marijuana in their states, 53 percent back decriminalizing pot, and most importantly, 68 percent said they are more likely to go to the polls if marijuana is on the ballot. Voters in both parties are in favor of looser marijuana laws, but the highest levels of motivation are among younger, single people — a group that skews Democratic.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Russia and Iran 'up the ante' after meeting in TurkmenistanThe Explainer Two nations talk up their closer ties but some in Tehran believe Putin 'still owes' them
-
'Kmart shelves emptied'Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
-
India and Canada expel diplomats amid murder rowSpeed Read New Delhi denies allegations linking Indian intelligence services to assassination of Sikh separatist last year
-
The life and times of Kamala HarrisThe Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
-
Arizona kicks off swing-state early votingSpeed Read The voting began with less than a month to go before the presidential election
-
Biden, Netanyahu talk ahead of Israeli hit on IranSpeed Read The pair spoke for the first time since August
-
Trump kept up with Putin, sent Covid tests, book saysSpeed Read The revelation comes courtesy of a new book by Bob Woodward
-
Liz Cheney campaigns with Harris in WisconsinSpeed Read The pair does not agree on much politically, but they share an anti-Trump stance
-
Biden, Harris visit storm-hit North Carolina, GeorgiaSpeed Read President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took separate tours of the south to view the catastrophic damage from Hurricane Helene
-
Jack Smith filing details Jan. 6 case against TrumpSpeed Read The special counsel's newly unsealed brief argues Trump is not immune from prosecution and gives new details on his efforts to overturn the election
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
