Donald Trump is losing voters, new poll shows – spelling trouble for Republican midterms
A new poll shows that less than a third of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, and 55 per cent disapprove – meaning his approval rating has dropped dramatically in the past year
US President Donald Trump is ending his first year a beleaguered figure, having seen his support dwindle, his opposition re-energised and the future of the Republican Party in several key states dim significantly for November elections, a new poll has revealed.
Just under one-third of those polled, 32 per cent, approved of Trump’s job performance, compared with 55 per cent who disapproved and 12 per cent who were neutral.
That 23-percentage-point deficit represents a significant decline since April and the last time the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times nationwide poll was conducted. That poll found Trump with a 7-point approval deficit; 40 per cent to 47 per cent.
The Democrats would be very likely to take the House [in November]. The Republicans could be in real trouble
Looking just at residents of 11 key swing states, Trump’s standing is virtually the same – 33 per cent approve, 54 per cent disapprove – evidence that his problem goes far beyond the big, Democratic coastal states.
Moreover, opposition to him has intensified – 42 per cent in the poll said they disapproved strongly of Trump’s job performance, up from 35 per cent in April. A much smaller group, 15 per cent, voiced strong approval, down slightly from April.
The 55 per cent disapproval closely matches the average of other recent non-partisan polls; the 32 per cent approval is several points lower than the average, most likely because the USC/LA Times poll explicitly gives people the option of saying they neither approve nor disapprove, which not all polls do.
Widespread disapproval of Trump’s performance has also dragged down his party’s standing.
Asked which party’s candidates they would favour if the congressional elections were being held today, those polled gave the Democrats an 11-point advantage: 51 per cent for Democrats to 40 per cent for Republicans.