Latest news with #Republican-leaning
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Donald Trump's Approval Rating Remains Underwater With Republican Pollster
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump's approval rating remains underwater, according to a poll conducted by a Republican-leaning pollster. The latest RMG Research/Napolitan News poll, conducted between May 20 and 29 among 3,000 registered voters, found 49 percent approve of the way Trump is doing his job, while 50 percent disapprove. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.8 percentage points. President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing in ceremony for interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. Jeanine Pirro in the Oval Office of the White House on May 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing in ceremony for interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. Jeanine Pirro in the Oval Office of the White House on May 28, 2025 in Washington, It Matters There has been some evidence of Trump's approval rating ticking up slightly after a period of decline following the introduction of his "Liberation Day" tariffs in April. But Trump's approval rating remaining in the negative, albeit within the margin of error, with a Republican-leaning pollster could be a sign of alarm for the White House. What To Know The latest RMG Research/Napolitan News poll found Trump's approval rating has improved very slightly from a survey conducted in mid-May. The earlier survey showed Trump's approval rating had dipped into negative territory, with 48 percent approving of the job he is doing and 50 percent disapproving. Only one other RMG Research/Napolitan News poll conducted during Trump's second term has seen the president with a net negative approval rating. A survey conducted in mid-April, days after he unveiled his "Liberation Day" tariffs, sending stock markets into a tailspin and sparking recession fears, saw his approval rating at -3, with 48 percent approving of Trump's performance and 51 percent disapproving. All other surveys have seen Trump with an approval rating above water, with the highest approval rating of +18 coming in a survey conducted the week Trump returned to office in January, when 57 percent approving of the job he was doing and just 39 percent disapproving. What People Are Saying Political analyst Robert Collins, a professor at Dillard University, told Newsweek last week that Trump's approval rating is "inching up because the economy has stabilized and Trump has put a pause on his most draconian tariffs, which were unpopular. "However, if those draconian tariffs do go into effect, due to trade negotiations breaking down, and it causes prices to spike, then we can expect his approval rating to go back down. The current number is historically a little low for a president during this part of his second term, but not outside of the normal range." Democratic pollster Matt McDermott previously told Newsweek that small shifts in polls are "statistical noise," not signs of growing support. "What we're seeing is stagnation, not momentum," he said. "Trump is hoping to shift blame for a weakening economy, but it's not going to work. Voters know exactly who's responsible." What's Next Trump's approval rating will likely play a major role for the GOP in the 2026 midterm elections.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
3 Greater Cincinnati areas on Trump administration 'sanctuary jurisdictions' list
Three Greater Cincinnati areas are defying federal immigration law, according to a new list published by the Trump administration. President Donald Trump issued an executive order April 28 directing U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to release a list of "sanctuary jurisdictions" obstructing "the enforcement of federal immigration laws." These jurisdictions made the list in Ohio: Cincinnati Columbus Franklin County Lorain County Warren County These made the list in Kentucky: Campbell County (misspelled as Cambell County) Franklin County Jefferson County Scott County Louisville The executive order calls for federal funds going toward these jurisdictions to be suspended or terminated, and for Homeland Security to "pursue all necessary legal remedies and enforcement measures" to make them compliant with federal immigration law. Officials in Republican-leaning Warren and Campbell counties told The Enquirer their inclusion on the list was a mistake. The Cincinnati City Council in 2017 declared Cincinnati a "sanctuary city," but the label was symbolic and didn't lead to any concrete policies. The declaration occurred before the current city council and Mayor Aftab Pureval entered office. Though the label doesn't carry any specific policies, the current council is aware it could jeopardize federal funding to the city. Pureval previously told The Enquirer Cincinnati would remain a "welcoming community," but that the city would follow federal immigration laws. "If the president of the United States, backed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, wants to do something as it relates to immigration, then they're going to do it," Pureval said on The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast in January. "And there's no mayor in the country, particularly a mayor of a blue city in a red state that's going to be able to do anything about it." City officials did not immediately return The Enquirer's request for comment. This story was updated to include all Ohio and Kentucky jurisdictions on the list. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 3 Greater Cincinnati areas make DHS 'sanctuary jurisdictions' list
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Barnburner' expected in Golden-LePage matchup in Maine's 2nd District
May 27—It's only been about six months since Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden survived what was billed as the fight of his political life, narrowly winning reelection in a Republican-leaning district against a former NSCAR driver endorsed by Donald Trump and U.S. House Speaker Michael Johnson. Yet, Golden, who eked out a victory over Austin Theriault even though Trump won the 2nd District by 9 points, is already locked into the next battle of his political life — this time against Paul LePage, a former two-term Republican governor whose base of support rests solidly in the 2nd Congressional District. "We thought it was exciting last time," said Daniel Shea, a professor of government at Colby College in Waterville. "It's going to be a barnburner, I'll tell you that." Once again, Maine's 2nd District will be one of the top — if not the top — pick-up opportunities for Republicans in the House of Representatives. Golden is one of the few Democratic House members representing a Trump district. At the same time, history suggests House Republicans will be facing headwinds in the midterm elections, given that their party controls the White House and Trump will not be on the ballot. Primaries for each party are still a year away, so there is time for other candidates to emerge. Although State Auditor and former Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap is considering a primary challenge against Golden, political observers see the field as largely set barring an extraordinary insurgency in either party or a strong third-party candidate. The official campaign arm of the House Democrats has already made it clear that Golden is their guy. On the other side, the official campaign arm of House Republicans has promoted a poll commissioned by a conservative group showing LePage leading Golden in the district. And Theriault ruled out a run and endorsed LePage, urging other Republicans to do the same to avoid a potentially costly and contentious primary. Dunlap said in an interview Friday that he has been having "overwhelmingly positive" conversations and also hearing some concern about his potential primary challenge to Golden. Before he decides, he needs to consider how such a campaign will impact his family and whether it's worth leaving a job he's really enjoying. "A lot of those discussions need to happen," Dunlap said. Both Golden and LePage are well-known to 2nd District voters and have compelling biographies. Golden enlisted in the Marines after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and served in combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, before returning home, earning a degree from Bates College, working as a congressional aide for Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins, serving in the Maine House and being elected to Congress in 2018. LePage grew up in poverty and became homeless for a short period after escaping an abusive household. With the help of former U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe's first husband, LePage was admitted to and earned a degree from Husson College — now Husson University. He went on to have successful careers as a turnaround specialist in the forest products industry and as general manager of Marden's before becoming the mayor of Waterville and then Maine's 74th governor. Shea said the race has interesting dynamics for each candidate. LePage is well-known, so he won't have to spend time or money to build name recognition. But many voters already have their minds made up about him. "The good news is, for a lot of voters in the 2nd CD, LePage is well-regarded," Shea said. Golden has the advantage of incumbency as he seeks a fifth term, but that edge has its limits. While Shea said incumbents usually face their most difficult reelection races for their second or third terms, that hasn't been the case with Golden, who has faced a series of tough opponents in his right-leaning district. "Jared Golden is confronting it every single race. He's had to work really hard to keep that seat," Shea said. "It's very rare for incumbents who are not widely out of sync with their district or confronting a scandal to lose." In an interview after announcing his decision to seek reelection, Golden said he is running for reelection to Congress, rather than governor or the U.S. Senate, to help Democrats break the Republican trifecta in Washington. Republicans control the White House, Senate and House and are using their dominance to push for cuts to Medicaid and tax breaks to wealthy Americans, efforts criticized by Golden last week. "I'm not really interested in standing aside and letting (LePage) walk into Congress, because I think he's bad for Maine and for the people I represent in the Maine 2nd Congressional District," Golden said. "The collective voice of my constituents is decidedly in favor of more health care coverage not less." Aides for LePage would not make him available for an interview for this story. But the former governor has been making the rounds on conservative radio and TV programs to accuse Golden of neglecting his district. LePage's campaign has been active on social media. As in previous campaigns, LePage is focusing on welfare reform and advocating for a national policy to put people's photos on EBT cards used to distribute public benefits, while also joining the backlash against transgender athletes. "MAINE NEEDS A STRONGER VOICE IN CONGRESS," LePage said in an X post on Wednesday. "Straight Talk. Someone with a record of creating jobs, fighting the woke extremism, cutting wasteful spending, safeguarding hospitals, protecting taxpayers, defending the 2nd Amendment, and always looking out for seniors who rely on Social Security and Medicare." Golden is already looking to remind voters about the controversial and unpopular parts of LePage's record, while also highlighting how the former governor has mostly lived in Florida since leaving office, only returning to mount comeback attempts. Golden recalled in an interview how LePage in 2017 reportedly said in a private meeting that the Lewiston legislative delegation, of which he was a member, should be "rounded up and executed in Kennedy Park." LePage's aids denied the comment was made, as did others who were present at the meeting. Golden, who was the assistant leader of House Democrats during the last two years of LePage's term as governor, also recalled how LePage vetoed MaineCare expansion seven times and then refused to implement the expansion after it was approved in a statewide vote. And when Golden unseated Republican Bruce Poliquin in the 2nd District in 2018 in a ranked-choice election, LePage wrote "stolen election" on the official certification of election results. "When I won in 2018, he became the originator of the stolen election lie," Golden said. "He literally wrote it on my election certificate, 'stolen election,' a prelude to what happened in early 2021," referring to the riots at the U.S. Capitol fueled by Trump's unsubstantiated claims. After joining the race this month, LePage unveiled a new stolen election accusation, claiming without evidence on WVOM radio that his decisive 2022 loss to Democratic Gov. Janet Mills was because "it was bought (and) we had noncitizens and the undocumented voting." Noncitizens are not allowed to vote in Maine. Trump is expected to loom large over this election, just like last year, when Golden refused to endorse President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris. Golden also wrote an op-ed predicting a Trump victory, saying "I'm OK with that," downplaying concerns that his reelection would lead to the downfall of democracy. LePage, who during his unsuccessful 2022 bid for governor ran as a more toned-down version of the firebrand governor the nation came to know, has fully embraced Trump and his first few months in office during his recent radio interviews. "I have a similar style that the president has," LePage told conservative radio host Howie Carr. "Actually, I think I like his style this time around. This time around, he's really busting down the doors. He's had four years, so he knows where the bodies are buried and he is uncovering him. I'm telling ya, I'm so proud of him right now. I think President Trump is doing a phenomenal job." Just this week, LePage told WGAN Newsradio that he would work closely to execute Trump's agenda, promising to "get an audience with the president if need be." He embraced the "big, beautiful" budget bill advanced by House Republicans, saying "it's so important to this country," even though the bill is projected to add $5 trillion to the national deficit and LePage has raised concerns over the deficit. That budget bill was condemned by Golden as "reckless," citing the proposed cuts to Medicaid. Republicans, Golden said in a written statement, are "ramming through an extreme agenda that takes health care away from the working poor and borrows trillions of dollars to fund a package of tax cuts tilted in favor of those at the top." Copy the Story Link
Newsweek
7 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Democrats' Support May Be Eroding Among Strongest Backers—Data
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. There has been more activity by Democrats in Virginia on social media speaking out against the Trump administration than there has been to support the Democratic Party's candidate in this year's gubernatorial race, according to analysis for Newsweek by Impact Social. The data set shows that while former Representative Abigail Spanberger is the frontrunner for the state's top seat, the Democratic Party in the Old Dominion state has spent more time in recent months interacting negatively with President Donald Trump's policies, including the use of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Spanberger, 45, most recently served as a congresswoman for the state's 7th Congressional District from 2019 to 2025 and is a former intelligence officer. Why It Matters Viriginia was once a Republican-leaning state, but suburban shifts and growth in the northern region of the state propelled it leftward over the past two decades. Last November, former Vice President Kamala Harris carried the state by less than 6 points against Trump, down from former President Joe Biden's 10-point win in 2020. However, the prospect of eroding support among reliable Democratic voters in Virginia could have repercussions beyond the state, potentially signaling vulnerability in key battlegrounds for upcoming elections. Virginia serves as a microcosm for broader national trends, with historical analysis showing that demographic and shifts in attitude among voters often precede changes elsewhere in the country. The trend that Impact Social found indicates that Spanberger may lack the key support needed to move her campaign in a winning direction. "This isn't apathy, it's disengagement. Democrat are showing up online, just not for her," Phil Snape of Impact Social said in his analysis. Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former Representative Abigail Spanberger, speaks on April 10 in Alexandria, Virginia. Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former Representative Abigail Spanberger, speaks on April 10 in Alexandria, Virginia. Photo byWhat To Know The data shared shows that conversations surrounding Spanberger online dropped from about 9 percent in February and March to 5 percent in April and May discussions. This data is collected from humans, not algorithms, Impact Social pointed out in the analysis. Similar data shows negative sentiment expressed in social media discussions surrounding the former congresswoman remained around -45 and -47. "Our sentiment insight reveals a serious vulnerability: Spanberger is struggling to energize her own base," Snape explained. Other data sets compared to conversations surrounding Spanberger show that her Republican opponent, Virginia's Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, saw a decrease in her net sentiment from +7 in February and March to -3 in April and May. "But here again, it's Democrats driving the negativity, tying Earle-Sears to Governor [Glenn] Youngkin and the broader GOP VA brand," Snape wrote. Comparatively, negative conversations on social media regarding Trump from Democrats, which were about 360,000 and a had a net of -12, according to Impact Social, show the Democratic Party's interest in the upcoming midterms. "Key issues include corruption, Gaza, tariffs, immigration, democracy and DOGE. The tone is unmistakably combative and energized, the kind of oppositional vigor we tracked across blue leaning constituencies throughout 2024," the analysis said. What People Are Saying Phil Snape of Impact Social said in the analysis: "How Democrats perform and whether they can energize their base will shape national narratives around turnout, enthusiasm and messaging heading into the next cycle. And that's what makes our latest analysis so troubling from a democratic perspective." He added: "There's more at stake here than just Virginia. As one of the highest-profile off-year contests this race will be read as a bellwether for the 2026 midterms. The Democratic base is active, mobilized and clear-eyed about the states. So why aren't they rallying behind their own candidate?" What the Polls Shows A poll from Roanoke College last week showed Spanberger had a double-digit lead over Earle-Sears. The poll took data from the 658 Virginians who were surveyed between May 12 to 19, Newsweek previously reported. While 43 percent of respondents planned to vote for Spanberger, only 26 percent indicated they planned to vote for Earle-Sears. The survey also showed that 41 percent of Virginians view Spanberger favorably while 40 percent view her unfavorably. That's compared to a 32 percent viewing Earle-Sears favorably while 48 percent view her unfavorably. The same poll showed that favorability is at an all-time low for GOP Governor Glenn Youngkin, with 50 of respondents viewing him unfavorably. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 5.25 percentage points. A poll commissioned by business advocacy group Virginia FREE and conducted by Pantheon/HarrisX pointed to a closer race. That poll found Spanberger leading by only four points—52 percent of voters supporting her, and 48 percent backing Earle-Sears. The poll surveyed 1,000 likely voters from May 9 to 13, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. What Happens Next? The results in Virginia will be closely watched for signals about broader national trends as the 2026 midterm cycle progresses. The Virginia gubernatorial election will be held on November 4, 2025. The Cook Political Report currently classifies the race as Lean Democratic, meaning it is "considered competitive" but that Democrats do have "an advantage."
Newsweek
24-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Donald Trump's Approval Rating Goes Negative With Republican Pollster
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump's approval rating has dipped into negative territory, according to a poll conducted by a Republican-leaning pollster. The latest RMG Research/Napolitan News poll, conducted between May 14-21 among 3,000 registered voters, shows Trump's approval rating at 48 percent, while 50 percent disapprove. The poll had a margin of error of +/- 1.8 percentage points. That is down from a 52 percent approval rating and a 48 percent disapproval rating in early May. All but one RMG Research poll has shown Trump's approval rating above water since his second term began, varying between 55 and 49 percent. The only survey to show Trump with a net negative approval rating was a mid-April poll, taken just weeks after he unveiled his "Liberation Day" tariffs. The move triggered a temporary Dow Jones crash and stoked fears of rising inflation and an impending recession, causing his approval numbers to sink across the board. According to that poll, 48 percent approved of Trump's performance, while 51 percent disapproved. Other polls conducted between then and the beginning of May saw his approval and disapproval ratings fluctuating between 48 and 49 percent, suggesting that Trump's approval rating is stabilizing again. Why It Matters Recent polls had shown Trump's approval rating creeping back up after a period of decline following the introduction of his "Liberation Day" tariffs in April, which saw the stock market fall. But polls published in recent days show a more complicated picture of Trump's support. President Donald Trump silences his mobile phone which rang two times as he was speaking to reporters after signing executive orders regarding nuclear energy in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on... President Donald Trump silences his mobile phone which rang two times as he was speaking to reporters after signing executive orders regarding nuclear energy in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on May 23, 2025. More Evan Vucci/AP What To Know The majority of polls published in recent days have shown Trump's net approval ratings deep underwater, but they paint a mixed picture. Some polls have shown his approval ratings ticking up in recent days. That includes Newsweek's tracker, which shows that Trump's approval rating currently stands at 46 percent, while 51 percent disapprove of the president. Earlier this month, his approval rating stood at 44 percent, while his disapproval rate was firmly in the 50s. The latest Insider Advantage poll, conducted between May 17 and 19 among 1,000 likely voters, gave Trump a net approval rating of +11 points, with 55 percent approving and 44 percent disapproving. That was up from a net approval rating of +2 points in early May, when 46 percent approved and 44 percent disapproved. And the latest Morning Consult poll also showed a surge in Trump's approval rating, with 48 percent approving and 50 percent disapproving, giving the president a net approval rating of -2 points, his highest approval rating since mid-March. This is up from -7 in early May, when he had a 45 percent approval rating and 52 percent disapproved. Meanwhile, the latest J.L. Partners/Daily Mail poll conducted between May 13 and 14 among 1,003 registered voters put Trump's approval rating at 50 percent, up 5 points from 45 percent in April. Poll Date Approve Disapprove Quantus May 18-20 48 48 Civiqs May 17-20 47 52 American Research Group May 17-20 41 55 Insider Advantage May 17-19 55 44 Morning Consult May 16-19 48 50 YouGov/Economist May 16-19 43 51 Reuters/Ipsos May 16-18 42 52 Navigator Research May 15-18 44 54 RMG Research May 14-21 48 50 Gallup May 1-18 43 53 The overarching trend in the polls is one of stability, with some showing that his ratings have not substantially changed beyond a 1- or 2-point dip—within the margin of error—or have not changed at all. That includes the most recent Navigator Research poll, conducted between May 15-18 among 1,376 registered voters, which showed Trump's approval rating stands at 44 percent, while 54 percent disapprove. That is unchanged from April. Similarly, in Quantus' latest poll, conducted between May 18-20, Trump's approval rating stood at 48 percent, while 48 percent disapproved. That is unchanged from a poll conducted earlier in May, and an April poll also showed his approval rating stood at 48 percent, while his disapproval rating was 2 points higher at 50 percent. Marquette's most recent poll also showed his approval rating unchanged from March, while an American Research Group poll, conducted between March 17 and 20 among 1,100 adults, put Trump's approval rating at 41 percent, down just 2 points from 43 percent in April. His disapproval grew from 53 percent to 55 percent. A YouGov/Economist poll conducted from May 16 to 19 pegged Trump's approval at 43 percent, up 1 point from 42 percent the previous week, while disapproval ticked down slightly from 52 percent to 51 percent. The same pattern occurred in the latest Civiqs poll, conducted between May 17 and 20 among 1,018 registered voters. And in Gallup's latest poll, conducted between May 1 and May 18 among 1,003 adults, Trump's approval rating fell by 1 point to 43 percent, while his disapproval rating remained unchanged since April at 53 percent. Thomas Gift, an associate professor of political science and director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, told Newsweek that the stability in Trump's polling numbers is "emblematic of a deeply polarized electorate." "His floor of support has proven incredibly durable over time, even amid huge major controversies and unflattering media coverage," he added. How Trump's Approval Rating Compares To First Term The RealClearPolitics tracker shows that on May 24, 2017, Trump's approval rating was 40 percent, while his disapproval rating was 54 percent. This gave him a net approval rating of -14 points, making Trump more popular now than at the same point in his first stint in the Oval Office. How Trump's Approval Rating Compares To Biden's Trump's 46 percent approval rating is lower than that of former President Joe Biden at the same point in his presidency. On May 24, 2021, Biden stood at 54 percent, with a disapproval rating of 42 percent, according to RealClearPolitics. While Trump began his second term with his highest approval rating, according to Gallup's first poll of Trump's second term, conducted between January 21 and 27, he was still less popular than any president since 1953 at the start of a term and the only one to begin with a sub-50 percent approval rating. Gallup said Biden started his first term with a 57 percent approval rating. According to data compiled from Gallup by The American Presidency Project, Trump ranks far below other recently elected presidents after 100 days, dating to Dwight Eisenhower, who had an approval rating of 73 percent. Other recently elected presidents with higher approval ratings at the 100-day mark include John F. Kennedy, 83 percent; Richard Nixon, 62 percent; Jimmy Carter, 63 percent; Ronald Reagan, 68 percent; George H.W. Bush, 56 percent; Bill Clinton, 55 percent; George W. Bush, 62 percent; and Barack Obama, 65 percent. What Happens Next Trump's approval rating could fluctuate in the coming weeks, depending on the outcome of key events, including critical negotiations in the Russia-Ukraine war, the evolving tariff situation and concerns about a recession.
