President Trump himself still enjoys the backing of 79% of Republicans.
The Republican Party is in trouble. Only 29% of Americans have a favorable view of the Grand Old Party. This represents a 13 point decline since March and illustrates the heavy toll an unproductive (incompetent?) Republican-controlled Congress is taking on the GOP itself. In fact, 53% of Republican voters believe that the Republican Congress is taking the party in the wrong direction.
75% of Republicans believe that the President is doing enough to cooperate with Congress… 66% believe that Congress is not doing enough to cooperate with President Trump.
However, President Trump himself still enjoys the backing of 79% of Republicans. Not only that, but 75% of Republicans believe that the President is doing enough to cooperate with Congress. When it comes to returning the favor, 66% of Republicans believe that Congress is not doing enough to cooperate with President Trump.
And while a significant minority of Republicans still support the Republican Congress, the poll indicates that it might be time for a leadership change. Approval ratings for leadership have declined to an abysmal 20%. Numbers this low have never been seen before. Paul Ryan, once a party darling, suffers from a 32% approval rating. Mitch McConnell, meanwhile, has the support of just 20%. The long-sitting Senator is now at risk of being pushed out of office come 2020.
The 29% approval rating represents the lowest rating since CNN started compiling the poll in 1992. Previously, the poll had hit 30% on two occasions. First, in 1998 when the Republican-controlled Congress pushed for articles of impeachment against Bill Clinton. This was due to Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky, and the subsequent cover-up. The next came with the Republican-controlled Congress shut down the government.
In both cases, the plummet in support came as Republicans opposed a Democratic President. However, Republicans currently control both the Senate and the House, yet have been able to push no major legislation. It seems that the American people, including both Democrats and Republicans, are weary of Congress’s inability to get things done.
If enthusiasm translates to election losses, the Republican Party could lose its majorities after just two years of the Trump Presidency.
For the Republican Party, the above numbers could spell trouble come 2018. Democrats need to take just 24 seats in the House and three in the Senate to take majorities. With it already proving so difficult for Republicans to muster up votes, any losses at all could spell doom.
Yet just 34% of Republicans are either extremely or very enthusiastic for the upcoming elections. Meanwhile, 44% of Democrats are either extremely or very enthusiastic. If enthusiasm translates to election losses, the Republican Party could lose its majorities after just two years of the Trump Presidency.
