Poll: Voter enthusiasm favors Republicans

WASHINGTON - The enthusiasm gap between Democrats and Republicans in the first midterm elections of Barack Obama's presidency is no myth - and his party may suffer hugely in two weeks because of it.

Just half of those who voted for Obama in 2008 say they will definitely show up Nov. 2 while two-thirds of those who voted for Republican nominee John McCain say they're certain to vote next month, according to an Associated Press-Knowledge Networks poll.

The difference in the excitement level between the two parties is buoying Republicans, who are poised for big electoral gains, and worrying Democrats, who are seeking to hang onto majorities in Congress as well among governors. Obama's party hopes its superior get-out-the-vote operation, updated from his groundbreaking campaign, can overcome Republicans' energized supporters to mitigate expected losses across the board.

The survey also found that nearly two years after putting Obama in the White House, one-quarter of those who voted for him are defecting to the GOP or considering voting against the party in power. Yet in a reflection of broad dissatisfaction with politics, just as many people who backed McCain are either supporting Democrats now or still considering how to vote.

To find out how the electorate's views have changed since the 2008 election, the AP and Knowledge Networks re-interviewed the same 1,254 people who were part of a random sample of Americans surveyed up to 11 times throughout the 2008 campaign by the two organizations and Yahoo News.

Disillusionment with Obama was evident in the survey.

In a reversal from 2008, it found that Obama backers who expected change in Washington - 63 percent - now think nothing ever will happen. A majority of McCain supporters now say things can change if the right person is elected.

"I was hoping we'd get some more civility up in government. That was implicit in his promise, along with some change. It turns out that he was driving more toward the changes rather than civility," said Gerry D. Kramer, 70, of Georgetown, Texas.