Byron’s posting of the new Gallup numbers illustrates just how challenging this year is for the GOP. Notice that in all but one case, paring the sample to “likely voters” means improving the Democratic candidate’s standing. In past cycles, likely voters have tended more Republican than registered voters. Not so now. This suggests that liberal voters are more energized for the 2006 cycle, more likely to vote, which tracks with virtually everyone’s anecdotal experience. Republicans are in for a rude awakening if they cling to registered-voter numbers. Of course, Gallup’s “likely voter” screen has been criticized in the past for generating more wild gyrations over time than other pollsters’ screens.