GOP GALLOPS AHEAD IN GALLUP SURVEY – AT 7:30 A.M. ET:  Apparently, it's the passage of Obamacare that did it:

PRINCETON, NJ -- Registered voters now say they prefer the Republican to the Democratic candidate in their district by 47% to 44% in the midterm congressional elections, the first time the GOP has led in 2010 election preferences since Gallup began weekly tracking of these in March. 

Gallop only started the preference survey for 2010 last month.  Rasmussen has been showing the GOP in the lead for some time.

The Republicans lead, 47% to 44%.

The March 22-28 results were obtained after the U.S. House's passage of landmark healthcare reform legislation on March 21. The shift toward Republicans raises the possibility that the healthcare bill had a slightly negative impact on the Democrats' political fortunes in the short run.

Yeah, when you pass a bill the people don't like, you don't get voted Miss Congeniality.

A Republican advantage among all registered voters in midterm elections has been rare in Gallup's 60-year history of tracking congressional voting preferences, happening only a few times each in the 1950, 1994, and 2002 election cycles -- all years in which Republicans had strong Election Day showings.

The election is seven months away.  Anything can happen, but I've rarely seen the GOP have such an opportunity.  It's theirs to lose.  Maybe I shouldn't encourage that idea. 

April 1,  2010