Rasmussen: GOP +9 on Generic Poll

That's up a point from last week and a continuing sign of trouble for Democrats:

Election Day is just two weeks away, and Republican candidates hold a nine-point lead over Democrats on the Generic Congressional Ballot for the week ending Sunday, October 17, 2010.

Forty-eight percent (48%) of respondents say they would vote for their district’s Republican congressional candidate, while 39% would opt for his or her Democratic opponent.

Even more worrisome for Democrats, however, is the finding that among the voters who are most closely following the midterm elections Republicans hold a 55% to 36% lead.

While the margin has varied somewhat from week-to-week, Republicans have been consistently ahead on the Generic Ballot for over a year, and their lead has run as high as 12 points and as low as three points. When Barack Obama first took office as president of the United States, the Democrats enjoyed a seven-point lead on the Generic Ballot.

In news of other things that have changed since Obama took office, this from Mark Knoller of CBS:

National Debt stood at $10.626-trillion the day Mr. Obama took office. Latest listing on Treasury website shows Debt at $13.665-trillion.

I think it's safe to say the two items are related.