In a highly partisan era, those who dislike both sides could have the deciding votes

WASHINGTON - In this and every election, both sides devote huge resources to getting their partisans to turn out and vote - "motivating the base," in the jargon of politics.

But in many close races around the country, a different group, those who don't like either party or its leaders, could hold the decisive votes.

The "hold your nose and vote" brigade makes up a sizable chunk of the electorate, according to the latest University of Southern California Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll. With Election Day just over a week away, the poll indicates they lean toward the Democrats. That's one reason Democrats remain favored to win back control of the House.

Overall, this latest poll, conducted last week, found Democrats leading 57 percent to 40 percent when likely voters were asked for which party's candidates they plan to vote, a 17-point edge.

That's a notable increase in Democratic