Democrats Gain Favor on Handling of Economy

There's encouraging news for Democrats battling to retain control of Congress in this fall's elections, with the party holding a slender edge in public trust for shepherding the economy and small gains in those saying their finances are healthy, according to a new poll. The reeling economy remains people's top concern, according to an AP-GfK Poll conducted earlier this month. The good news for Democrats: By a margin of 47% to 42%, people trust them more than Republicans to guide the economy, and slightly more—64%—say their household budgets are in good shape.

In addition, people want Democrats to win control of Congress by a 46% to 39% margin. That is the second straight month in which Democrats have held a delicate advantage on that question since April, when 44% preferred Republicans and 41% Democrats. But the public's anti-Washington mood remains robust, with 55% saying they want a new member of Congress—bad news for Democrats with more incumbents to defend. (More Democrats stories.)