First, this is a National Public Radio poll we are talking about, not a center-right or centrist group — NPR.

Here is the death knell:

“The poll holds plenty of danger signs for the Democrats. In one indicator studied closely by both parties ahead of midterm elections, likely voters chose an unnamed Republican candidate by 5 percentage points over the Democrat on a hypothetical congressional ballot.

“And, Bolger points out, that edge is more pronounced among people whose interest in the midterms is high.

NPR Poll: Republicans vs. Democrats

“If the 2010 elections for United States Congress were being held today, for whom would you vote?”

See Highlights From The Poll

Source: January 2009 NPR Poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies/Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research

“So while it’s a 5-point lead overall, among the most interested voters, that lead doubles,” Bolger says. “And we saw that take effect in Virginia; we saw it took effect in [the] New Jersey gubernatorial race; and we saw it take effect in the Massachusetts Senate race as well.”

Note to Dems, this is what happens when you make people very angry.