Poll: Republicans gain ground in midterms

By Henni Espinosa, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

Nov. 4, 2014

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – Are people in America ready for new leadership on Capitol Hill?

Republicans came into the last day of their midterm election campaign with great news. A series of local polls show they’re likely to win enough key races to regain the Senate majority for the first time in eight years.

In Iowa’s highly contested Senate race, a survey released over the weekend shows Republican Joni Ernst leading seven points over the Democrat’s bet, Bruce Braley.

NBC Marist polls also show GOP candidates beating their Democratic opponents in Kentucky, Georgia and Louisiana.

Republican leaders say this is really the last chance for America to pass judgment on the Obama administration and its policies.

“The Republic Party is saying, look, we’re going to take a different direction,” said Mitt Romney, former presidential nominee. “We’re going to break the blockade in Washington by having a Republican Senate. We’ll have an energy policy, which means we’re going to have the Keystone pipeline. We’re going to secure the border. We’re going to jump-start the economy and we’re actually going to help get people out of poverty and their kids will have better schools.”

But Vice President Joe Biden says the GOP may not want to start celebrating just yet.

He does not agree with the odd-makers and predicts the Democrats will keep the Senate.

“Going into 2016, the Republicans have to make a decision whether they’re in control or not in control. Are they going to begin to allow things to happen? Or are they going to continue to be obstructionists? And I think they’re going to choose to get things done,” said Biden.

Surveys are no guarantee for how the elections will actually turn out tomorrow, as proven in past several midterm elections and presidential races, where polls turned out to be very different from actual results. So for now, it’s a wait and see as to whether the GOP will really have enough pull to win the Senate majority.

You can contact Henni Espinosa at henni_espinosa@abs-cbn.com for more information.