Public Policy Polling (PPP) on why the "enthusiasm gap" may not be enough for the GOP

Our last national poll finds the same thing every other poll does. Very excited voters favor Republicans on the generic Congressional ballot 50-38. But Democrats lead 53-35 with somewhat excited voters and 45-27 with not very excited voters, giving them an overall 43-41 lead.

So which number matters more- the overall one or the one among highly enthused voters? Let's look at a few of the races we've already had this cycle:

-In the special House election in Pennsylvania last month our polling found Republican Tim Burns up 60-38 with very excited voters. He trailed 50-46 with somewhat excited voters and 53-37 with not very excited voters. Burns lost the election because the Democrats, excited or not, still turned out.

-In the Massachusetts Senate race Scott Brown led 59-40 with very excited voters, trailed 60-35 with somewhat excited ones, and trailed 61-31 with not very excited ones. He won but those folks who said they weren't very excited still showed up and kept his margin of victory to 5 points.

-In the New Jersey Governor's race Chris Christie lead 60-34 on our final poll with very excited voters, trailed 44-42 with somewhat excited ones, and tied at 39 with not very excited ones. Like Brown he won, but it was only by 4 points and nowhere close to the 26 point lead he showed with very excited voters.

http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2010/06/thoughts-on-enthusiasm-gap.html

p.s.
furthermore I'm convinced democrats could have won the MA special Senate election had we had a fully engaged nominee.

The Republicans will have a better turn out the vote result.

GUESS WHAT: In real numbers and real bodies more Democrats
than Republicans got themselves to the polls and voted.

Even in that very exciting "Rand Paul Race" in Kentucky
yes, more Democrats got to polls to vote than did Republicans.

Rachel Maddow did a run down on this the evening of Super Tuesday
Primary June *.

Even if they are not excited, I am glad the Dems are getting
to the polls. Gosh, if we can stir up some excitement we
might have landslides, while the MSM navel-gaze and predict
the Democrats are goners.

There isn't always excitement about elections, but lots of Democratic voters know the importance of the election and will turn out.

His vote counts the same as the excited person. The trick is to get the passive person to vote in the first place.