State of Play – August 17-20, 2023

Republicans hold a 6-point lead in the generic ballot with all voters, and an 8-point lead with likely voters voters.

Republicans Hit New High on Generic Ballot

Republicans hit a new high on the generic ballot among likely voters – even as the right direction / wrong track divide narrowed by 8 points. Meanwhile, Biden’s approval among likely voters is steady in the low to mid 40s.

Defense: Fund It or Fix It?

Americans view defense spending as unusually wasteful but are divided on whether we should insist on reform at the Defense Department before it receives further budget increases.