Political Pulse | The Associated Press-Yahoo! News Poll

Republicans happier than Democrats, but not about 2008 election

Two-thirds of Americans say their lives are happy, though more Republicans than Democrats say so, 72 percent to 64 percent. That reflects the GOP's higher proportion of better educated, higher income people.

More Democrats than Republicans seem to be looking forward to next year's presidential election. Independents seem even less energized.

While 85 percent of Democrats say next year's election matters more than usual, 76 percent of Republicans agree, along with only 52 percent of independents. More Democrats are interested, 52 percent to 46 percent, with older women the most interested group at 54 percent. Just 31 percent of independents express interest.

Not happy campers

On the other hand, more Republicans than Democrats say they feel frustrated about the election, 39 percent to 28 percent. Eleven percent of Republicans say it bores them, compared with 7 percent of Democrats.

About one in 10 from each party say it makes them angry, and about one in seven say they feel helpless.

The frustrated and the hopeful

In the fight for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's lead over Sen. Barack Obama is roughly the same among people who are hopeful about next year's election and those who are not.

Clinton leads Obama by about 24 percentage points by both measures. The same is true among people who say the election makes them feel frustrated and those who say it does not.

That also holds on the Republican side, where frustration and hope have no effect on former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's narrower lead over former Sen. Fred Thompson and Sen. John McCain. Giuliani's lead ranges from seven to 12 percentage points in those categories, little real difference statistically.

Why bother?

In a virtual tie, 73 percent of Republicans and 70 percent of Democrats say their vote could make a difference next year. Only 46 percent of independents feel that way.

Pocketbook issues

Sixty-six percent of those who say they are having an easy time financially say they are likely to vote in the presidential primaries or caucuses, compared with 49 percent of those who say times are tough.

Trust me

A little more than a third of both Democrats and Republicans say most people can be trusted. Men are more trusting than women, 36 percent to 31 percent.

Stressed out

Eighty-three percent of both Republicans and Democrats say they are sometimes or frequently stressed, and 46 percent of both say their lives seem out of control at least sometimes. More women report stress than men, 84 percent to 79 percent.