President Donald Trump is confronting signs of discontent within his own coalition, with fewer than half of Republican voters approving of his handling of living costs in a new AP-NORC poll released this week. In the survey conducted less than four weeks before Election Day, only 44 percent of GOP voters approve of his record on prices, while 54 percent back his management of the wider economy. At the same time, 58 percent of GOP voters want either substantial change or complete upheaval in how the United States is run.
Democrats may be better positioned to capitalize, with about three-quarters calling it extremely important to vote compared with roughly six in 10 Republicans. A DNC spokesman said: “Republicans' chances in the midterms are a sinking ship. There’s no overcoming Donald Trump's record-low approval ratings or that Trump and Republicans drove up gas and grocery prices with their reckless tariffs and never-ending war with Iran.
"Meanwhile, Democrats are focused on lowering costs, rooting out corruption, and making healthcare affordable. Democrats are fighting for every American and we're not taking any vote for granted.” The AP-NORC findings also place the economy and cost of living at the top of voters’ priorities. It threatens to complicate the GOP’s closing midterm message as Democrats report greater urgency about voting.
Republican candidates must defend the party’s record while appealing to voters who remain loyal to the GOP but are dissatisfied with conditions under its leadership. White House spokesman Davis Ingle has pushed back against the suggestion that Republican dissatisfaction could weaken the party, describing Trump as its “unequivocal leader, best messenger, and unmatched motivator.” Ingle told Newsweek in a previous emailed statement that Trump remained committed to preserving the GOP’s congressional majorities and argued that his record on taxes, prescription drugs, border security, crime, energy and employment gave voters a clear choice in November. Newsweek emailed the White House for further comment on Friday morning.
With Democrats showing an enthusiasm advantage and affordability dominating voters’ concerns, Republican dissatisfaction could matter in closely contested House and Senate races. The president’s party has lost House seats in 18 of the 20 midterm elections since 1946, meaning Republican discontent could compound an already difficult historical environment for the GOP. Signs of Republican unease extend beyond the domestic economy.
Only 69 percent of GOP voters approve of the President’s handling of foreign policy as the war with Iran enters its eighth month, showing softer support than presidents typically seek within their own party. Nationally, crime remains one of his better subjects, but even there his approval reaches just 45 percent. Immigration and crime also rank below health care and the conflict with Iran among the electorate’s priorities.
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