WASHINGTON, March 16: A new poll released on Thursday not only shows the lowest-ever job approval rating for President Bush but also an electorate that now wants Democrats to control the US Congress instead of the Republicans.

The latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll comes at a time when both the parties are engaged in a massive campaign for midterm congressional elections due in November this year.

The poll also shows that a strong majority believes President Bush is experiencing a long-term setback from which he’s unlikely to recover.

“He’s losing his grip on governance,” says Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican Bill McInturff.

“It’s now a sense that we’ve seen the best that he’s going to produce as president of the United States.”

Despite this grim outlook for the Republican Party, it still holds advantages over Democrats — albeit by narrower margins — when it comes to Iraq and homeland security.

And that could benefit Republicans in November, especially if national security issues dominate the landscape, as they did in 2002 and 2004.

According to the poll, only 37 per cent approve of President Bush’s job performance — his lowest mark ever in the survey.

That’s a two-point drop since the last NBC/Journal poll, and a one-point decline from his previous low of 38 per cent last November.

In addition, just 26 per cent believe the nation is headed in the right direction, a tie from the previous Bush administration low, which also occurred in November.