US President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to 31% - the lowest level in his two terms, a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows. The share of Americans who disapprove of his job performance is 66%. The result is one percentage point lower than the previous survey from two weeks ago.
The poll also shows a significant lead for Democrats ahead of the November 3rd congressional midterm elections. Among registered voters, 47% say they would vote for a Democratic candidate, while 35% - for a Republican. The 12-point gap is the largest for Democrats in this election cycle. In the previous survey, their lead was seven points - 44% to 37%.
The national party preference vote, known as the “general congressional vote“, does not by itself predict the distribution of seats in the House and Senate. It depends on the results in individual states and districts. However, the data is an important indicator of voter sentiment before the vote.
The economy remains the weak spot
High gas prices and concerns about household spending are among the factors weighing on the president's assessment. 68% of respondents disapprove of the way Trump is handling the economy. Among Republicans, that share reaches 37%.
When asked which party would do a better job of handling the economy, 40% said Democrats, while 33% said Republicans. Among women, the Democrats' lead in Congressional preferences is even greater: 50% say they support a Democratic candidate versus 32% for a Republican.
Trump himself admitted in late September that he had done a "very poor job" of explaining his economic performance. However, the president continues to present energy prices and the economy as central themes in his campaign messages.
The sample includes 1,679 American adults
The survey was conducted online among 1,679 American adults, of whom 1,279 are registered voters. The margin of error is two percentage points for all respondents and three points for registered voters.
For Republicans, losing control of one or both chambers of Congress would complicate the implementation of Trump's policies in the final two years of his term. Democrats, for their part, are given the opportunity to make dissatisfaction with the economy and high prices a major campaign theme until Election Day.
Sources: reuters.com, investing.com