Not soon after his media-enabled reelection, when President Obama’s poll numbers almost immediately began to crater, the media narrative shifted to the steady drumbeat of, “But the approval rating for Congress is much lower.” That spin was obviously directed at Republicans, who controlled Congress. Although “congress” can mean both the Democrat-controlled Senate and the House, this was a nifty rhetorical trick the media used to argue that the GOP was in worse shape than Obama.

That lie was not only laid bare in last week’s midterm elections, where Republicans at every level of government crushed Democrats (and their media cheerleaders) in a tidal wave that hit blue and purple states, but also in new polling numbers from Gallup that shows GOP lawmakers currently enjoy a higher approval rating from the American people than President Obama.

As things stand today, Republicans in Congress enjoy a 42% approval rating. Obama, on the other hand, sits at a 39% approval rating. His disapproval rating sits at a whopping 56%.

When asked by Gallup who should have more influence over the direction of the country, a majority of Americans chose Republicans in Congress over Obama by a whopping 56-36% margin.

John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC