ANOTHER NAIL IN THE GOP COFFIN

Independent voters favor Democrats 2-1: poll

Independent voters plan to support Democrats over Republicans by an almost two-to-one margin in Congressional elections in two weeks time, according to a poll.

The Washington Post-ABC News poll does not predict the outcome of races being fought state by state and district by district around the country.

But its findings are grim for ruling Republicans fighting to retain control of Congress on November 7, because independents, who eschew party affiliation, are key swing voters.

The survey, taken October 19-21 among 1,200 adults, asked people which party they favored in their district, without matching candidates against one another.

Independent voters said they planned to support Democrats over Republican candidates by a roughly two to one margin of 59 to 31 percent, the poll found.

Forty-five percent of independents said it would be good if Democrats took control of the lower House of Representatives, 10 percent said the opposite, and the rest said it would not matter, the poll found.

"The growing independent support for Democratic House candidates represents a significant shift in attitudes since the 2004 election, when Democrats held only a slim advantage" the Post said. That year, independents voted 50 percent Democratic and 46 percent Republican in House races, the daily said.

Democrats need to gain 15 seats in the lower House of Representatives and six seats in the Senate to take control of those chambers.

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