LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Rating Presidents – Shutdown – Border Wall Polling

Your Daily Polling Update for Friday, January 18, 2019

TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 42%
Same as yesterday

RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on four polls, ranging from 39% (Pew) to 45% (The Economist). Without these two extremes, it would be 42%…. President Trump’s disapproval rating averages 55% today, which is 13 points higher than his approval rating.

HANDLING SHUTDOWN
Among adults nationwide

Do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove or strongly disapprove of how [INSERT ITEM] (is/are) handling negotiations over the government shutdown? 

% = Approve/Disapprove
Donald Trump: 37%/62%
Republican leaders in Congress: 36%/60%
Democratic leaders in Congress: 42%/53%

RON’S COMMENT: A majority of 62% disapprove of the president’s handling of the shutdown. But, majorities also oppose the way Democrats and, even more so, Republicans are handling the matter.

BORDER WALL
Among adults nationwide

As you may know, there is a proposal to substantially expand the wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. In general, do you favor or oppose this proposal? 

Favor: 40%
Oppose: 58%

RON’S COMMENT: This poll finds that public attitudes on the wall are holding fairly steady since last year, but the partisan lines have deepened. Republican support for the wall is at an all-time high and Democratic opposition is at an all-time low….  The poll also finds that 88% of wall opponents say it would not be acceptable to pass a bill that includes Trump’s request for wall funding if that is the only way to end the shutdown. And, 72% of wall supporters say a bill
 to end the shutdown would be unacceptable if it does NOT include Trump’s wall funding….Over time, we have seen a variety of numbers on the border wall. Most of the differences can be explained by sample universe (this poll is based on a sample of all adults and some other polls have been based on voters) and question wording.

RATING PRESIDENTS
Among voters nationwide

How would you rate the Presidents listed below? 

% = Above Average/Average/Below Average
Ronald Reagan: 56%/23%/16%
Barack Obama: 49%/11%/39%
Bill Clinton: 40%/28%/30%
George H.W. Bush: 33%/42%/23%
Jimmy Carter: 27%/33%/33%
George W. Bush: 25%/39%/34%

RON’S COMMENT: Of the last six presidents, Reagan rates the best (56% above average) and Bush 43 rates the lowest (25% above average). While 83% of Republicans rate Reagan above average, even a third of Democrats also do. While Obama ranks second in terms of positive ratings (49%), he’s first in terms of negative ratings (39%). 86% of Democrats and 11% of Republicans rate Obama above average.

As a President, how do you think Donald Trump will go down in history? 

Above average: 36%
Average: 6%
Below average: 53%

RON’S COMMENT: 67% of Republicans and 6% of Democrats say Trump will go down in history as an above average president. Talk about partisan polarization!

SOURCES
Presidential job rating average based on recent nationwide polls.
HANDLING SHUTDOWN, BORDER WALL: Pew, Jan. 9-14
RATING PRESIDENTS: The Economist/YouGov, Jan. 12-15

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