REPUBLICAN GAINS, FOR NOW – AT 11:32 A.M. ET:  Expert political reporter Charlie Cook observes that the Republicans are still gaining, despite Dem efforts to stem the conservative tide.

The Dems are trying, but attempting to counter the tea party with a Vitamin D party just doesn't cut it in the heartland.  From the National Journal:

With the midterm elections now just six months away, are Democrats' prospects improving? Not really. For every hopeful sign they get, several others -- usually the more telling ones -- point the other way.

The most recent, and quite compelling, bad omen surfaced in an April 27 Gallup report. The polling organization found that, based on interviews with more than 5,000 registered voters from April 1-25, Democrats had a 4-point lead in the generic congressional ballot test among those "not enthusiastic about voting" this year, 46 percent to 42 percent; they had a 14-point lead, 52 percent to 38 percent, among those "somewhat enthusiastic about voting." Among the all-important "very enthusiastic" crowd, aka the folks most likely to vote, Democrats trailed by a whopping 20 points, 57 percent to 37 percent.

Across all registered voters in the Gallup Poll, Republicans held a 1-point lead, 46 percent to 45 percent, a result that's not out of line with other national surveys of registered voters. Because voter turnout in midterm elections is generally a third below that of presidential elections, measuring the intensity of voters' interest in participating provides an important tip-off. And, this year, the passion for voting is almost all Republican.

COMMENT:  Well, we can hope.  But we must also be cautious, rather than giddy.  Giddiness is so, so liberal.  Scott Rasmussen's latest reports emphasize the need for wariness:

In April, the number of adults not affiliated with either major party increased by 1.6 percentage points, while the number identifying themselves as Republicans decreased 1.3 percentage points. This marks the lowest level for Republicans since July 2008.

The Republican Party remains unpopular.  The gains it is showing represent a backlash against the age of Obama, not a national crush on Mitch McConnell.  As we've said here before, the GOP must come up with a positive program of its own.  The party is hungry, and I assume it will do it.

May 2, 2010