Republicans Divided in their Opinion of Senate Republicans

About three-in-four Democrats hold unfavorable views of Republicans in the House and Senate, and about nine-in-ten Republicans hold unfavorable views of Democrats in Congress.

In the weekend leading up to the current train crash in Washington, Democrats were united behind the Member of Congress wearing their colored jersey, while Republicans were a little less united. Attitudes of Republicans toward Republican Senators in particular indicated some concerns on the part of the Republican rank-and-file about their party’s team on the Hill. Among Republicans, only 49% express a favorable view of Senate Republicans, 45% unfavorable in the most recent Economist/YouGov poll conducted September 28-30, 2013.

Looking to the House side, 69% of Democrats like House Democrats, only 59% of Republicans like House Republicans. There is no shortage of antipathy toward the other party’s Members of Congress. About three-in-four Democrats hold unfavorable views of Republicans in the House and Senate, and about nine-in-ten Republicans hold unfavorable views of Democrats in Congress.

These readings were taken over the weekend and on Monday prior to the final failure Monday at midnight to avoid a government shutdown; we’ll learn next week how the events of the week have changed the views of partisans toward their fellow partisans and the other party’s elected officials in the House and Senate:

Asked who they would blame if (as did happen) President Obama and Congress do not reach a budget agreement, 31% of Republicans blame House Republicans, 28% of Republicans blame Senate Republicans. On the other hand, only 13% of Democrats blame House Democrats and 11% blame Senate Democrats. (77% of Republicans and 17% of Democrats were prepared over the weekend to blame President Obama in the event of stalemate.) Numbers add to more than 100% for each group because, with plenty of blame to go around, it seemed fair to allow respondent to indicate as many villains as apply.