Beleaguered Republicans close the gap

WASHINGTON, DC: A flurry of last-minute polls show that the beleaguered Republican Party is gaining lost ground in the run-up to the crucial mid-term general election in the United States today.

A USA Today/Gallup poll showed that the Republicans have narrowed their approval- rating difference with the Democrats from 13 per cent to 7 per cent. The new polls show 51 per cent approval for the Democrats compared with 44 per cent for the Republicans.

Another poll by the Pew Research Centre shows Democrats’ rating falling to 47 per cent, with 43 per cent for the Republicans. Two weeks ago, the figures were 50 and 39 per cent. A Washington Post-ABC News poll has cut the difference to just 6 per cent, down from double digits a fortnight ago.

Analysts attribute the resurgence to a booming economy, the guilty verdict awarded to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, and a non-stop campaign tour by President George W Bush.