These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
Voters appear a little less confident that members of both major parties will be able to work together in Washington, D.C.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 56% of Likely Voters now think politics in the nation's capital will be more partisan over the next year. Only 49% felt that way just after Election Day, the lowest finding since early March 2009 .
Only 19% now say politics in D.C. will be more cooperative over the next year, while 25% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here . )
Still, the latest numbers remain slightly more optimistic than most monthly findings since August 2009.
Following the big GOP wins on Election Day, 71% of voters think it is at least somewhat likely that the next president will be a Republican, with 41% who say it is Very Likely. The overall number is up 10 points from last month and is the highest finding since regular tracking began on the question in January 2009. The Very Likely number, however, marks little change from findings since the first of this year.
Twenty percent (20%) say it's not very or not all likely that the next president will be a Republican. It is important to note that the question does not indicate whether that next president will be elected in 2012 or 2016.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on December 1-2, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology .
President Obama this past week met with Republican congressional leaders to discuss areas of common ground, but just 27% of voters think the president is governing on a bipartisan basis. Fifty-three percent (53%) feel he is governing like a partisan Democrat, and another 20% are undecided. These findings show little change since early March of last year.
At the same time, 22% say congressional Democrats are acting on a bipartisan basis, while 59% disagree and say they are acting like partisan Democrats. Nineteen percent (19%) are not sure.
Likewise, 20% believe congressional Republicans are practicing bipartisanship. Fifty-four percent (54%) think the members of the GOP are acting like partisan Republicans. Twenty-seven percent (27%) are undecided.
The numbers for both parties are in line with findings for months.
Republicans have edged up slightly and now hold a six-point lead over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot.
Most voters continue to give this Congress poor marks in its closing days, and they still don't believe the national legislature has passed anything to significantly improve life in America .
House Republican leader John Boehner has been regularly in the news since Election Day as the likely next speaker of the House, and that coverage has helped push his favorables to a new high. But all the major congressional leaders seem to be benefiting from a little good will since the elections.
Despite the upcoming Republican takeover of the House, most voters are still not convinced Congress will actually cut government spending substantially over the next year. GOP voters are among the most doubtful.