

He's about to take the helm in the Senate. Not everyone is thrilled. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

As Republicans count down the days until they take complete control of Congress, the public is split over their new power on Capitol Hill, with half the country saying the new GOP control over both chambers of Congress isn't a great development for the country.

Fifty percent of Americans say Republican control of both the Senate and the House will be a bad thing, according to a new CNN/ORC poll released Monday, while 44 percent say it will be a good thing.

Republicans swept into power in the Senate in last month's midterm election. In the House, they padded their existing majority.

A majority of Americans -- 52 percent -- say the new power structure will result in more gridlock between the White House and Congress. Thirty-seven percent say it will make no difference. Just 9 percent predict there will be less gridlock.

The CNN poll was conducted from Nov. 21-23, about two and a half weeks after the Nov. 4 midterms.

A clear majority of Americans, 74 percent, say they saw the election results as a repudiation of Democratic policies, as opposed to a GOP mandate. Just 16 percent say they saw it as a Republican mandate.