Democrats have their best approval rating since May, the poll indicates. Poll: GOP lawmakers' approval sinks

Americans overwhelmingly oppose shutting down government to stop Obamacare, according to a new poll on Tuesday, with Republicans in Congress getting their lowest approval marks to date.

Americans were against a government shutdown as a way to stop the president’s health care law from taking effect 72 percent to 22 percent in a Quinnipiac poll. The more than three-to-one ratio was despite a near even split on Obamacare itself, with 45 percent support to 47 percent opposition.


Republicans in Congress also got record-low marks in the poll. Just 17 percent of Americans approved of the job GOP lawmakers were doing, and 74 percent disapproved. That’s the lowest approval ever in Quinnipiac’s polling, and is down from August and July this summer.

Those surveyed also disapproved of Democrats in Congress, 60 percent to 32 percent, but that was the best approval rating Democrats have seen since May.

President Barack Obama’s numbers also continued to be underwater, with voters disapproving of his job 49 percent to 45 percent.

Voters were also asked if the 2014 House election were today, if they would vote for a Democrat or Republican. Americans chose a Democrat over a Republican 43 percent to 34 percent, the biggest margin for Democrats since this spring and a far cry from the even 38 percent to 38 percent registered in late May.

A separate poll out Tuesday from left-leaning Public Policy Polling found similar results with some explanation as to why: Support for Republicans is ebbing among independents and GOP moderates.

PPP found voters chose a generic Democrat over a generic Republican 45 percent to 40 percent, an increase from a narrow 43 percent to 42 percent split in July. Overall, Republicans support their own party 78 percent to 13 percent, a dip from the 82 percent to 10 percent registered in July.

That erosion is more pronounced among moderate Republicans, though, who intend to vote for their own party only 59 percent to 22 percent. That’s down from 72 percent to 17 percent in July.

Among Independents in PPP’s poll, Republicans and Democrats were tied at 34 percent, compared to a 12 point advantage Republicans enjoyed this summer.

Quinnipiac surveyed 1,497 registered voters from Sept. 23 to 29 for the poll, which has an error margin of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points. PPP surveyed 790 registered voters from Sept. 25 to 26 for its poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.