WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's relative unpopularity may hinder the Democratic Party's chances in gaining a senate majority in the upcoming elections, according to The Christian Science Monitor.

Emory University political analyst Alan Abramowitz has observed a rising trend in partisan politics that links a president's approval rating to votes cast in the senate elections. The trend, Abramowitz observed, has steadily increased since the 1990s.

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In 2012, about 90 percent of votes cast for a Democratic candidate had approved of Obama while 82 percent who voted for GOP candidates disapproved.

Since January, Obama's weekly average rating has been in the low to mid 40s, while the most recent - published by Gallup on Sunday - pegged the president's performance at 42 percent favorable and 51 percent unfavorable.

This makes it easy for the GOP to attack the Senate and House elections, thereby compelling Democrats to awkwardly defend the president, The Washington Post reported.

For instance, Alaska Sen. Mark Begich, Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor and North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan have voiced concerns on executive overreach with regard to the immigration issue, which if unchecked, could result in an intense voter backlash.

The current consensus among major political forecasters is that the Senate would emerge with a GOP majority.

Republicans have a 68 percent chance in holding the Senate, according a New York Times forecast, while The Washington Post marks that likelihood at 58 percent.

Additionally, Obama's unpopularity in states such as North Carolina and Louisiana - which are vital to Senate control - doesn't help matters.

In North Carolina, the president's rating is two points below the average at 41 percent. In Louisiana, Obama's approval is only at 33 percent.

It must also be noted that some states, including South Dakota, West Virginia, Louisiana, Montana and Arkansas, have started to lean more towards the GOP in recent years. This "ideological drift," said Real Clear Politics analyst Sean Trende, should also be considered as one of the issues that puts the Democrats at a precarious position.

While all these seem to paint a hopeless picture of a Democratic-led Senate, there is no certainty that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) will finally realize his dream of becoming a majority leader. There are still a lot of factors in play that could tip the bucket either way.

TagsBarack Obama, midterm elections, Senate elections, House elections, Alan Abramowitz, Republicans vs. Democrats, job approval rating, ideological drift, Mark Begich, Mark Pryor, Kay Hagan, Mitch McConnell