WASHINGTON: The Trump approval rating has fallen to a record low, with just 31 per cent of Americans approving of the president’s performance, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Monday. Worried about high gasoline prices, voters signalled they were ready to punish his Republican Party in the November 3 congressional elections.
Some 31 per cent of Americans approve of Trump’s performance in office, down a percentage point from two weeks earlier and the lowest level recorded in either of his presidential terms, the four-day poll showed.
Trump approval rating record low: the numbers
Asked which party they would vote for if congressional elections were held today, 47 per cent of registered voters in the nationwide poll picked the Democrats and 35 per cent chose the Republicans. The 12-point Democratic advantage was the widest of the current election cycle and could strengthen Democratic hopes of seizing control of the US House of Representatives.
For Republicans, losing control of either chamber could complicate Trump’s agenda in the final two years of his term.
Generic-ballot polls give a national picture of which party voters want in charge of Congress, though they do not capture the state-by-state and district-by-district contests that decide control of the Senate and House, where Republicans hold some structural advantages.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll two weeks earlier had shown Democrats leading Republicans by 7 points, 44 per cent to 37 per cent.
Much of the drop in support for Republican congressional candidates came from women. Some 50 per cent of female voters said they would vote Democratic, compared with 32 per cent for Republican candidates. Men also favoured Democrats, but by a smaller margin.
Economy and gasoline prices drive the slide
Trump’s popularity has suffered since he ordered military strikes on Iran in February alongside US ally Israel. The war triggered a surge in gasoline prices, hitting household finances.
Some 68 per cent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, including 37 per cent of self-identified Republicans. Voters picked Democrats over Republicans as the better stewards of the economy by 40 per cent to 33 per cent.
The survey was conducted online among 1,679 US adults, including 1,279 registered voters. The margin of error was 2 percentage points for all respondents and 3 points for registered voters.
The findings land as Trump’s foreign policy faces scrutiny on several fronts, including his warnings to Iran over Houthi attacks and the administration’s immigration measures affecting Pakistanis. A president entering the midterms at a record-low approval rating typically has less room to drive an assertive foreign agenda, a dynamic worth watching for countries dealing with Washington, Pakistan included.
What is Trump’s approval rating now?
31 per cent, according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Monday, the lowest of either of his presidential terms.
What does the generic ballot show?
Democrats lead Republicans 47 per cent to 35 per cent among registered voters, a 12-point gap, the widest of this election cycle.
When are the US midterm elections?
November 3. Democrats hope to seize control of the House of Representatives, which would complicate Trump’s agenda in his final two years.
