Eight weeks before the midterm elections , a new CNN/ORC International poll shows that voters in key geographic regions favor Republican candidates heading into November , highlighting significant challenges for Democrats trying to protect half a dozen vulnerable Senate seats and ultimately control of the chamber . Equally concerning for Democrats is that the GOP has a 15-point advantage with independent voters on the generic ballot , and Republicans have an edge at this point in supporter enthusiasm . While Republicans are all but assured of maintaining a healthy majority in the House , the GOP needs a net gain of six seats to control the Senate and its committees that oversee the Obama administration . Should the GOP control Capitol Hill next year , it would be positioned to direct the legislative agenda and influence President Barack Obama 's final two years in office . Harman : Time for Obama to turn crisis into opportunity . Because of this , Democrats are desperately trying to protect at least five incumbents in Southern or heavily rural states such as Alaska , Arkansas , Colorado , Louisiana , and North Carolina as well as an open seat in Iowa . Most of these races are considered tossups or the GOP has a slight advantage , according to state polling and analysis by independent political handicappers . Meanwhile , there is widespread belief that three other open Democratic seats in Montana , South Dakota and West Virginia have already been lost to Republicans -- putting the GOP within striking distance of the net gain of six seats needed to take the Senate majority . Lawmakers urge Obama to work with Congress on immigration . Assuming Republicans maintain control of the House — Americans are split over which party should have control of the Senate with 46 % supporting a Democratic majority and 42 % backing GOP control . It is a different story in the South where a majority of voters , 51 % , seek a GOP controlled Senate next year , perhaps making life difficult for Democratic incumbents in Arkansas , Louisiana and North Carolina . At the same time rural voters also want to see a GOP-controlled Senate by a 48 % -37 % margin that could have significant implications for Democrats in Alaska and Colorado . 5 key midterm races to watch . Overall , Americans are angry with Capitol Hill , as a whole , with a whopping 83 % saying they disapprove of how Congress is handling its job , while 65 % describe it as the `` worst Congress of their lifetime . '' The current approval rating for Congress is 14 % , just four points higher than the all-time low of 10 % in a September 2013 CNN/ORC Poll . This might explain why voter enthusiasm has dropped off significantly since the last midterms in 2010 -- particularly among Republicans . Four years ago , 53 % of Republicans said they were enthusiastic or very enthusiastic about voting , that number has now dropped to 37 % . In 2010 , 30 % of Democrats were enthusiastic about voting -- fast forward four years and that number has decreased two points . Challenges to predicting the November election result . Despite the drop-off in voter enthusiasm from 2010 , the GOP has an advantage in this category , according to the poll . And other data points show that Obama will not be helpful to many of the endangered Democrats seeking re-election . The CNN/ORC poll shows that 52 % of registered voters would support a candidate for Congress who opposes Obama , while 39 % would support a candidate that backs the president . Democrats are hoping that candidates in Kentucky and Georgia are able take back GOP held seats , which would help the task of keeping the GOP net gain under six seats a lot easier . As for the overall electoral mood for the House , the GOP holds a 49 % -45 % edge over Democrats in the generic ballot question of which party would you vote for in your congressional district . Terror fears could help GOP in midterms .
Poll reflects significant support for Democrats trying to keep Senate majority . 60 % of poll respondents call the current election the worst in their history . Poll enthusiasm is down , which may be caused by conflicts with Congress .