The FINANCIAL — As 2014 begins and the midterm election campaigns heat up, about half of the public (51%) is especially looking forward to November’s congressional elections while 49% are not looking forward to them, according to the new national survey by the Pew Research Center.
58% are looking forward to next month’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, while 42% are not. A majority (55%) also is looking forward to next month’s Super Bowl.
Among other upcoming events, just 24% say they are looking forward to the Academy Awards while a comparable percentage (22%) is anticipating this summer’s World Cup soccer tournament, according to the research.
Overall, the percentage of the public that is looking forward to this fall’s midterm election is about the same today (51%) as it was in January 2010 (50%). Currently, 63% of Republicans and 53% of Democrats say they are anticipating the midterm elections; a similar gap was evident four years ago (60% of Republicans vs. 48% of Democrats).
Last month, a Pew Research survey found that more Republican and Republican-leaning registered voters (53%) than Democrats and Democratic leaners (47%) were “very enthusiastic” about voting in this fall’s elections. But the GOP’s advantage was narrower than it was a year before the 2010 midterms, says the report.
When it comes to other events of 2014, partisans largely agree on what they are looking forward to. The Olympics and Super Bowl are high on both parties’ lists, while the World Cup ranks much lower; roughly equal shares are looking forward to this summer’s international soccer tournament (22% overall). However, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say they are especially looking forward to the Academy Awards (36% vs. 20%), according to Pew Research Center.
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