Poll: Voters split on which party they prefer entering Nov. midterms

Voters are now just as likely to select a Republican at their ballot boxes in 2010 as they are a Democrat, according to a new Washington Post/ABC poll.

That marks a clear departure from last year, when Democrats were performing historically well in the generic ballot question.

Just four months ago, about 51 voters signaled they would select Democrats at the polls, compared to about 39 percent who said they would select Republicans. However, voters are now evenly split on this question at 46 percent, according to pollsters, who released their new data on Wednesday.

Worsening those numbers for Democrats, it seems, are the Post's findings that half of all poll respondents said they are feeling "anti-incumbent" entering the 2010 midterms. Pollsters characterize that number as especially concerning for Democrats, which already stand to lose a handful of House and Senate seats because of retirements. Writes the Post:

"These findings illustrate why the political landscape looks increasingly favorable for Republicans to pick up House and Senate seats in November, with some handicappers predicting major gains of 25 to 30 seats and Republican House leaders expressing confidence that they can win the 40 seats they need to take back the majority. The president's political advisers say privately that some losses are likely but that they are looking to keep them to a minimum."

Additionally, about two of three independents signaled they had not decided how they would fall in November -- pro- or anti-incumbent, Democrat or Republican. Pollsters noted that number is especially historic, as it represents the most independents to express doubt about incumbents since October 1994 -- before Democrats lost a considerable number of seats in the House.

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