Democrats Keep 11-Point Lead as Trump Approval Edges to 32%

Washington (GNP): US President Donald Trump’s approval rating has edged up to 32 per cent, a small recovery from last week’s record low. Democrats still hold a clear advantage over Republicans with the November 3 midterm elections approaching.

The figures come from a five-day nationwide poll completed on Monday. It found that 47 per cent of registered voters favoured Democrats for Congress, against 36 per cent who backed Republicans. About 11 per cent were undecided.

The 11-point gap is one point narrower than in a poll that ended on October 19. When undecided voters were asked which way they leaned, the Democratic lead fell to nine points, with 50 per cent for Democrats and 41 per cent for Republicans.

The margin carries weight because both chambers of Congress are at stake. Republicans currently hold majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Losing either one could complicate Trump’s legislative agenda in the last two years of his second term.

Political analysts generally see a strong chance of Democrats regaining the House. The Senate looks harder for them, since Republicans retain structural advantages in several state-level contests.

Economic anxiety appears to be driving much of the mood. The poll found that 73 per cent of respondents believe the cost of living is heading in the wrong direction.

That worry follows Trump’s decision in February to order military strikes on Iran, which pushed petrol prices higher. Before the conflict, polling had shown voters preferring Republicans on economic management.

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The picture has since changed. In the latest survey, 37 per cent of voters said Democrats had the better approach to the economy, while 33 per cent chose Republicans.

Enthusiasm points the same way. Some 46 per cent of Democrats said they were very enthusiastic about voting, compared with 30 per cent of Republicans. Among voters judged most likely to cast ballots, Democrats led 53 per cent to 44 per cent.

The online poll surveyed 1,679 US adults, including 1,280 registered voters. The margin of error was two percentage points for all adults and three points for registered voters.