Poll: Trump Approval Hits 31%, Democratic Lead Grows
Would a Democratic Congress check Trump’s self-serving GOP or merely obstruct an effective Republican agenda?
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Above: U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at the White House via Marine One on Oct. 20. Image credit: Finn Gomez/Getty Images
The Facts
- U.S. President Donald Trump's approval rating fell to 31% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed Monday, down a percentage point from two weeks earlier, reaching the lowest level in either of his presidential terms, according to the four-day survey.
- Registered voters in the Reuters/Ipsos poll picked Democrats over Republicans on the generic congressional ballot, 47% to 35%. The 12-point margin was the widest of the cycle, up from a 7-point Democratic lead two weeks earlier.
- Some 68% of Americans, including 37% of self-identified Republicans, disapproved of Trump's handling of the economy in the Reuters/Ipsos poll, while 50% of female voters said they would back Democratic candidates, compared with 32% for Republicans.
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The Spin
Democratic narrative
Trump’s grip has turned the GOP into a vehicle for personal power rather than conservative governance. Economic pain, foreign-policy overreach and contempt for democratic limits make continued Republican control indefensible. A Democratic Congress offers the strongest check on an unpopular, self-serving presidency.
Republican narrative
National approval surveys are a shaky basis for declaring a Republican collapse because congressional power rests on local races, not nationwide popularity. Republican structural advantages keep the map competitive despite grim headlines. Many voters realize that Democratic control would obstruct the governing agenda rather than ease household pressures.
