The Hill News

The GOP still leads in voter enthusiasm for November; however, Democratic voters are more likely to go to the polls now than they were last month.

According to a survey by Public Policy Polling, 56 percent of Democrats are now "very excited" about voting this election cycle, up from 51 percent in July.

Meanwhile, the GOP held its lead with 67 percent "very excited" â€" a one-point increase from July.

Overall, Republicans still hold a three-point lead in a generic congressional ballot test â€" approximately the same advantage held by the GOP as it entered the 1994 midterms â€" despite the fact that the public's view of the party has fallen to an all-time low. Democrats remain slightly more popular, with 34 percent approval. The GOP's 24 percent represents a surprising drop for Republicans since 2006 and 2008, when Democrats were on the rise.

Some Republicans have questioned their party's ability to make 2010 a second 1994.

One issue for an ascendant GOP, articulated last week by veteran Republican senator Richard Lugar (Ind.), may be its lack of an ideas-driven policy leader. 

“The question is, how creative will Republicans be in the face of this? If we get the majority [of the House], will there be the sort of negotiations that occurred between Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton, for example? And if so, who is going to be our Newt?” he said.

Lugar said House Majority Leader John Boehner (Ohio) or Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) could "probably not" fill that role, according to the Evansville Courier & Press.