AP-GfK Poll bolsters congressional Democrats

By ALAN FRAM and TREVOR TOMPSON Associated Press Writers

WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrats battling to retain control of Congress in this fall's elections are getting some encouraging news amid predictions of Republican gains.

A new Associated Press-GfK Poll shows Democrats holding a slender edge over Republicans in public trust for shepherding the economy. The reeling economy remains people's top concern.

By a margin of 47 percent to 42 percent, people trust Democrats more than Republicans to guide the economy.

Slightly more people - 64 percent - say their household budgets are in good shape.

The poll also shows that people want Democrats to win control of Congress by a 46 percent to 39 percent margin.

Still, nothing in the poll dismisses predictions that the GOP could take over one or both chambers of Congress.