Dems outpoll GOP; opinion on Congress low

WASHINGTON, March 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. public views congressional Democrats more favorably than Republicans, though opinions of both parties are low, a Washington Post-ABC News poll said.

About a third of respondents said they approve of the way congressional Democrats are doing their jobs, while 23 percent said they approved of the job Republicans were doing, results released Tuesday indicated. Six percent didn't express an opinion on either party.

Democrats saw higher support in most ranges -- age, education level, income level, religion and political preference -- the poll indicated. Republicans were about even with Democrats among non-college-educated whites and slightly ahead of Democrats among white evangelical Protestants.

Democrats significantly were more approving of their party's performance in Congress than Republicans, the poll said. Sixty-five percent of Democrats approve of congressional Democrats, while 48 percent of Republicans said the same of their party's lawmakers.

Twenty-five percent of independents said they approve of congressional Democrats, while 18 percent voiced support for Republicans, results indicated.

Results are based on a nationwide telephone survey of 1,003 adults conducted Wednesday through Saturday. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.