New poll offers encouragement to US Democrats

Americans want Democrats to control Congress after this year’s elections, according to a poll – but only just.

The Associated Press-GfK poll showed a tenuous 45% to 40% preference for a Democratic Congress that reversed the finding a month ago on the same question: 44% for Republicans and 41% for Democrats.

Democrats hold a 254-177 majority over Republicans in the House of Representatives, with four vacancies, while Democrats control 59 of the Senate’s 100 seats, counting support from two independents.