According to a new CBS News/New York Times poll, 64 percent believe the country is on the wrong track with only 30 percent thinking the country is heading in the right direction. 74 percent of registered voters also say that a candidate's running mate will matter a lot or somewhat for the November presidential election.
CBS News reports the poll also found a significant rise in Republican enthusiasm in the same time frame that Democratic enthusiasm has dropped.
Meantime, three and a half months before election day, Republican enthusiasm about voting this year has shot up since Mitt Romney clinched the nomination in April, from 36 percent of Republicans saying they were more enthusiastic in March to 49 percent now.
President Obama was helped to election in 2008 by a wave of voter enthusiasm among Democrats, however this year, Democratic enthusiasm is down a bit since March. Twenty-seven percent of Democrats said they were more enthusiastic about voting this year than they were in past elections, compared to 30 percent four months ago. And 48 percent of Democrats say their enthusiasm this year is the same as past elections, compared to 39 percent who answered the same question in March.
Independent voters' enthusiasm is also up with 29 percent saying they're more enthusiastic now from 22 percent four months ago.
Republican enthusiasm has seen a 13 percentage point jump and Democratic enthusiasm has seen a three percent drop, which gives Republicans a net gain of 16 points since March.
