After struggling during the summer, Democrats are gaining momentum as the midterm elections draw near, the results of a Times/Siena poll showed, according to the New York Times.

What Happened: About 46% of registered voters said they would vote for Democratic Congressional candidates in their districts compared to 44%, who pledged allegiance to Republican candidates, according to the survey.

The survey polled 1,399 registered voters nationwide from Sept. 6 to Sept. 14.

The previous poll done in July saw Democrats edging past Republicans by just one percentage point, the Times said.

The improvement, according to the report, is due to falling gas prices and President Joe Biden’s success with the passing of key legislation.

Despite the relatively better competitive positioning, Democrats are still stymied by high inflation, an uncertain economy and a president whose approval rating is just 42%. The rating matches or trails the ratings of every president, who went on to lose control of Congress in midterm polls, the report pointed out.

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Trump Props Up Democrats? The return of former  President Donald Trump to the national stage was one of the reasons for the modicum of improvement seen in Democrats’ prospects, the Times said. Another factor is the rising opposition among the public to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn a verdict that legalized abortion, the publication added.

If Democratic vulnerabilities, which currently remain suppressed by the “fury over abortion” and the “renewed spotlight on Trump” are exposed, Republicans could retake Congress, the report said.

“Republicans would lead by six percentage points in the race for Congress, if they could merely win over voters who say they agree with the G.O.P. most on the economy,” NYT added.

Photo: Courtesy of Gage Skidmore on flickr