By Salma El-Sakka
President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to 30 percent, the lowest level for a sitting president heading into midterm elections since Harry Truman in 1946, according to Pew Research Center polling released earlier this month.
Polling Shows Record Low
The decline marks the lowest point of Trump's second term. Peter Enns, a government professor at Cornell University and co-founder of Verasight, described the ratings as "historically low" for a president entering a midterm cycle.
Economic Discontent Drives Disapproval
An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found only 26 percent of U.S. adults approve of Trump's handling of the economy, while just 17 percent approve of his approach to the cost of living. Pew data shows 84 percent of registered voters rank the economy as a "very important issue" for the midterms.
Foreign Policy Adds to Pressure
The same AP-NORC poll showed only 28 percent support for Trump's handling of the war in Iran. Enns noted the conflict connects to high gas prices in voters' minds, calling it unusual for a president to align with so many unpopular positions.
Midterm Dynamics Favor Democrats
Historical patterns typically favor the opposition party, and current metrics show Democrats with 91 percent voter enthusiasm compared to 86 percent for Republicans. In Texas, Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico holds a narrow polling lead over Republican Ken Paxton. Costas Panagopoulos, a political science professor at Northeastern University, said Republicans face an "uphill battle" and will likely lose seats in both chambers.
Historical Exceptions Rare
Following the September 11 attacks, President George W. Bush maintained a 63 percent approval rating, enabling Republican gains in the 2002 midterms. Panagopoulos said voters currently have "nobody else to blame" for government actions with Republicans controlling both executive and legislative branches.
