While most of those surveyed in a Pew Research poll know that the Republicans are generally regarded as doing the best in this month's midterm elections, less than half know that the GOP will have a majority only in the House of Representatives when the new Congress convenes in January.
The poll showed that 75 percent said that Republicans did the best in the midterms, but only 46 percent correctly said that Republicans have a majority only in the House.
Fourteen percent said the GOP had won both the House and the Senate, while 8 percent said they won just the Senate, 5 percent said they did not win a majority in either chamber, and 27 percent said they do not know.
Pew also noted that only 38 percent of those surveyed correctly identified Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, as the incoming House Speaker, including just 14 percent of those below the age of 30.
The poll also showed that just 16 percent know that more than half of the money the federal government loaned to banks under the bank bailout program has been paid back. Thirty-six percent said less than half of the money has been paid back, while 16 percent said none of its has been paid back.
A previous Pew Research poll found that only 34 percent of Americans knew that the bank bailout was enacted under President George W. Bush, with 47 percent incorrectly saying that it was signed into law by President Barack Obama.
Meanwhile, 77 percent correctly said that the U.S. budget deficit is larger than it was in the 1990s, and 64 percent know that the U.S. has bought more foreign goods than it has sold overseas in recent years.
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December 19, 2025 15:10 ET U.S. inflation data and interest rate decisions by major central banks were the highlights of this busy week for economics news flow. Employment data and survey results on the housing markets also gained attention in the U.S. In Europe, the European Central Bank and Bank of England announced their policy decisions and macroeconomic projections.