CNN poll shows declining Trump approval and tougher midterm outlook for Republicans
A new CNN/SSRS poll finds President Trump’s approval at a historic low and indicates that voters now favor Democratic congressional candidates by eight points, reflecting growing economic concerns.
A recent CNN poll conducted by SSRS shows President Donald Trump’s approval slipping to a historic low, with only about one-third of Americans approving of his job performance. Approval of his handling of the economy has fallen to 27%, down 22 points since 2018, and just 28% say economic conditions are good, a drop of 41 points.
The survey finds that voters prefer Democratic congressional candidates over Republicans by an eight-point margin nationally, a slight narrowing from the 12-point gap recorded in September 2018. Two-thirds of registered voters say the economy is “extremely important” to their vote, and a majority now align more with Democratic positions on economic issues.
Among respondents, 44% say their congressional vote will serve as a message of opposition to Trump, while only 19% view it as a message of support. Approximately 57% express uncertainty about their personal finances, and nearly half report stress about their financial future.
Republican voters remain largely supportive of Trump, but enthusiasm has waned; only 35% say they strongly approve of him, down from 66% in 2018. Half of Republicans disapprove of his handling of inflation, and nearly half believe his policies have worsened or had no effect on economic conditions.
Democratic and Republican members of Congress are both unpopular, with roughly one-quarter approval for each. Voters see Democrats as slightly closer to their economic views, leading the GOP by seven points on that issue. While a 10-point margin favors a Democratic-controlled Congress for health-care policy, opinions are split on whether such a shift would improve cost-of-living, personal finances, corruption or foreign policy.
Issues beyond the economy also rank high: 61% of voters consider election integrity and voting rights extremely important, and majorities prioritize inflation and health care. Nonetheless, more than half say other factors will influence their congressional vote, and about a third say the party controlling the House will be a primary driver.
CNN’s Jennifer Agiesta, Edward Wu and Isabelle LaBianco contributed to the report.