By significant margins, Americans now view the Republican Party as better than the Democratic Party on two key issues: protecting the nation from international threats and ensuring the nation's economic prosperity, a new poll found. More than half of Americans, 54%, believe that the GOP will do a better job than the Democratic Party at protecting the nation from international terrorism and military threats in the next few years, according to a Gallup survey released Wednesday, while just 39% believe the Democratic Party is better suited to do so. About 50% of Americans likewise believe that the Republican Party will do a better job at keeping the country prosperous, while 41% believe the same about Democrats. The two GOP advantages mark the largest gaps in more than five years. The survey, conducted between Sept. 1-17, comes after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which Americans generally supported in theory, but not in the "chaotic and deadly way in which it was executed," an earlier Gallup poll notes. The polling also came amid a weaker than expected employment report, and surging coronavirus infections. But when it comes to what Americans deem to be the most important problem facing the country, most commonly the coronavirus and the handling of the government itself, Americans are nearly split on which party can better handle the issues, with 41% believing the Republican Party can do so, and 38% the Democratic Party. However, those who listed the coronavirus as the top issue facing the country widely say the Democratic Party is more equipped to handle it, while those who said the government is the top issue are more inclined to believe the Republican Party is better suited to handle the situation. Another Gallup poll released Tuesday found that Americans view both major parties negatively, and although the two parties are near parity in terms of favorability among the public, the Democratic Party's favorability has fallen from elevated levels shortly after President Joe Biden took office in January, while the Republican Party's favorability has seen a modest climb. According to Gallup, party favorability ratings can offer clues as to how the parties might fare in upcoming elections. Still, in the last three midterm elections, neither party had a significant edge in favorability, the report notes. "Most often, performance in midterm elections hinges on the popularity of the incumbent president at the time of the election," the report says.