LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Views on Coronavirus – Florida, Wisconsin, Kansas Primaries

Your Daily Polling Update for Thursday, March 12, 2020

TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 45%
Up 1 from yesterday

RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on four polls, ranging from 42% (Reuters) to 48% (Rasmussen). Without these extremes, it would be 46%…. President Trump’s disapproval rating averages 53% today (same as yesterday), which is 8 points higher than his approval rating.

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES 
Among Democratic primary voters in each state

FLORIDA
(UNF poll) Biden over Sanders: +44 (66-22)
(St. Pete Polls) Biden over Sanders: +55 (69-14)
 
RON’S COMMENT: Biden’s vote keeps getting bigger in Florida, land of 219 delegates. The primary is Tuesday.
 
WISCONSIN
Biden over Sanders: +16 (55-39)
 
RON’S COMMENT: The primary is April 7 for 84 delegates.
 
KANSAS
Biden over Sanders: +24 (59-35)
 
RON’S COMMENT: The primary is not until May 2 when 39 delegates are at stake. 

CORONAVIRUS
Among voters nationwide

Do you approve or disapprove of Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak? 
 
Approve: 42%
Disapprove: 49%
 
RON’S COMMENT: 11% of Democrats, 86% of Republicans and 42% of independents approve.
 
Do you approve or disapprove of Donald Trump placing Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the federal government’s response to the spread of the coronavirus? 
 
Approve: 46%
Disapprove: 45%
 
RON’S COMMENT: 14% of Democrats, 90% of Republicans and 41% of independents approve.
 
How would you describe the way Donald Trump is thinking about federal government policy concerning coronavirus? 
 
His policy is not taking the risks seriously enough: 46%
His policy is appropriate: 39%
His policy is overreacting to the actual risks associated with the virus: 3%
Not sure: 12%
 
RON’S COMMENT: 77% of Democrats, 11% of Republicans and 12% of independents say Trump is not taking the risks seriously enough.
 
Do you think the federal government should be increasing or decreasing the amount of money it spends on preventing the spread of infectious diseases, or do you think it currently spends about the right amount? 
 
Increase spending: 55%
Decrease spending: 5%
Current spending the right amount: 39%
 
RON’S COMMENT: 80% of Democrats, 29% of Republicans and 48% of independents support more spending.
 
How concerned are you about a coronavirus epidemic here in the United States? 
 
Very/somewhat concerned: 62%
Not very/not concerned: 32%
 
RON’S COMMENT: 84% of Democrats, 48% of Republicans and 63% of independents approve.
 
How well prepared is the U.S. to deal with an epidemic like the coronavirus? 
 
Very prepared: 17%
Somewhat prepared: 37%
Not very/not prepared: 46%
 
RON’S COMMENT: 3% of Democrats, 38% of Republicans and 13% of independents say the U.S. is well prepared.
 
From what you know about it now, does the U.S. have enough testing kits on hand for the coronavirus? 
 
Yes: 13%
No: 62%
Not sure: 25%
 
RON’S COMMENT: Only 5% of Democrats, 26% of Republicans and 9% of independents say the U.S. has enough testing kits. Expect to hear this year’s candidates talking about this issue.
 
[Asked of those who think the U.S. does not have enough testing kits] Who is to blame for the U.S. not having enough testing kits on hand for the coronavirus? 
 
President Trump: 38%
Federal government: 18%
State and local governments: 3%
President Obama: 2%
No one could have prepared for a new epidemic: 29%
Not sure: 8%
 
RON’S COMMENT: 52% of Democrats, 5% of Republicans and 26% of independents blame Trump for not having enough testing kits.

SOURCES
Presidential job rating average based on recent nationwide polls.
CORONAVIRUS: The Economist/YouGov, March 8-10
FLORIDA: UNF, March 5-10; St. Pete Polls, March 6-8
WISCONSIN, KANSAS: PPP(D), March 10-11

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