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Good News for GOP Ahead of Midterms? Republican Favorability Ratings Hit New High

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WASHINGTON – With midterm elections less than two months away, the Republican Party is seeing an upsurge in popularity, according to a new Gallup poll.

The survey found that 45 percent of Americans now have a favorable view of the GOP – that's up nine points from last September.  

Meanwhile, Democrats' favorability rating sits at 44 percent.

"No matter how much or how little party favorability affects elections, the fact that Republicans are more likely to view their party favorably than a year ago can be considered a positive indicator for the party, particularly if a more positive image boosts Republican turnout," Gallup analyst Jim Norman wrote.

The findings represent a positive change for Republicans, who've pretty much taken a backseat in popularity to the Democratic Party since November 2008, when Barack Obama was elected president.

Gallup reports that over the last 10 years, the GOP's favorability rating has averaged 39 percent, while  Democrats averaged 44 percent.

Tuesday's Gallup report suggests the spike in popularity may be due to Republicans' passage of a tax cut bill and the subsequent gains the economy has seen under the Trump administration.

"At the time of last September's poll, congressional Republicans were in the final throes of an unsuccessful attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as 'Obamacare,' and were losing a highly publicized battle with Democrats over a debt ceiling bill," Norman wrote in Tuesday's report.

"Since then, Republicans have passed a tax cut bill that was supported by a vast majority of Republicans, and the economy has continued to make gains under the Republican administration of Donald Trump," he said.

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