McConnell rejects poll showing distrust of Republican Party

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) dismissed on Sunday a recent poll claiming that a large majority of Americans distrust Republicans, saying that more Americans would vote for the GOP in next year's midterm elections.

ABC's George Stephanopoulos asked McConnell about the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll that found only 20 percent of Americans identify themselves as Republicans, the fewest in 26 years.  It also found that just 19 percent  trust congressional Republicans to make the right decisions for the country's future.

Instead, McConnell pointed to a Gallup poll that this month showed Democrats and Republicans virtually tied in a generic congressional ballot.

"Look, the Gallup poll, which is out there every day, the oldest poll and the most respected poll in America, asked the question that really makes a difference, and that is the question, if the election were held tomorrow, who would you be more likely to vote for, the Republican candidate for Congress or the Democratic candidate for Congress?" McConnell said on "This Week."

"Last November, not surprisingly, my party was down 12. Two weeks ago, we were down 2.  So the issue is not so much whether they're identifying with Republicans or Democrats, but how would they vote."

McConnell also used this year's Virginia gubernatorial campaign as evidence that Democrats may take its lumps next year, citing comments made by Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds that the political atmosphere in Washington was causing his campaign problems.

On the other hand, the Washington Post reported this week that national Democrats believe that Deeds is trailing Republican candidate Bob McDonnell in the key swing state because he is a weak candidate who shied away from the White House until days before the election. 

---