LUNCHTIME POLITICS: How Outbreak Impacts Daily Life – Job Ratings – Tuesday Trivia

Your Daily Polling Update for Tuesday, March 24, 2020

TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 46%
Up 2 since Friday

RON’S COMMENT: President Trump’s ratings have improved in recent days. His approval rating has increased 2 points and his disapproval rating has fallen 4 points…. Today’s average is based on four polls, ranging from 43% (Reuters) to 48% (Monmouth). Without these extremes, the average would still be 46%…. Trump’s disapproval rating averages 50% today (-4 from Friday), which is 4 points higher than his approval rating.

A note to our readers:
Due to the slump in the presidential nomination race and the shifting of national attention to the coronavirus outbreak, Lunchtime Politics will publish Tuesdays and Thursdays during the weeks ahead. As soon as political polling gears up again, we will return to daily publication. But, don’t worry, you won’t miss anything––we will continue to include all the important national and state polls. Best wishes for good health to all our readers!

– Ron

RATINGS: HANDLING CORONAVIRUS
Among adults nationwide

% = Good Job/Bad Job
Your state’s governor: 73%/17%
Federal health agencies: 65%/23%
President Trump: 51%/45%
The media’s reporting: 45%/44%
Congress: 43%/37%
The American public: 39%/45%
 
RON’S COMMENT: Voters give state governors the highest rating, followed by federal health agencies. Trump’s rating breaks 50%, and is net positive. The lowest rating is for the American public, which is the only one that’s net negative…. Big partisan divides: 89% of Republicans, 48% of independents and 19% of Democrats say Trump is doing a good job handling coronavirus…. 87% of Republicans, 50% of independents and 50% of Democrats say federal health agencies are doing a good job…. 31% of Republicans, 34% of independents and 69% of Democrats say the news media is doing a good job.

CORONAVIRUS FALLOUT
Among adults nationwide

What is the biggest concern facing your family right now? 
 
COVID-19/Coronavirus: 57%
Job security: 7%
Everyday bills: 6%
The economy: 5%
Healthcare costs: 5%
Family illness/health: 3%
 
RON’S COMMENT: As you can see, the coronavirus has overtaken every other issue in terms of importance, pushing everything else down into the single digits. That’s no surprise given the impact on just about every aspect of our daily lives…. More Democrats say the virus is the top problem than Republicans or independents (62% vs. 57%, 53%). 
 
Thinking about you personally, has the coronavirus outbreak had a major impact, minor impact, or no real impact on your own daily life
 
Major impact: 53%
Minor impact: 32%
No impact: 15%
 
RON’S COMMENT: 61% of Democrats, 40% of Republicans, 57% of independents, 53% of men, 54 of women, 61% of people 18-34 years old, 45% of people over 55 years old, 47% of whites without college degrees, 62% of whites with college degrees, 52% of all whites and 55% of nonwhites say the outbreak has had a major impact on their daily lives. Age cohorts are most surprising.
 
How concerned are you about someone in your family becoming seriously ill from the coronavirus outbreak – very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not at all concerned? 
 
Very concerned: 38%
Somewhat concerned: 32%
Not too/not at all concerned: 30%
 
RON’S COMMENT: Interesting that only 38% say they’re “very concerned” about becoming seriously ill…. Many more Democrats say they’re “very concerned” than Republicans or independents (58% vs. 24%, 31%).
 
How confident are you that the country will be able to limit the impact of the outbreak over the next few weeks – very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not at all confident? 
 
Very confident: 25%
Somewhat confident: 37%
Not too/not at all confident: 36%
 
RON’S COMMENT: Only one-fourth of Americans are “very confident” the country will be able to limit the impact of the outbreak over the next few weeks. Fewer Democrats say they’re “very confident” than Republicans or independents (13% vs. 43%, 22%).
 
Have you personally done any of the following or had any of the following happen because of the coronavirus outbreak? 
 
% = Yes, have done this

  • Have not gone out to stores and businesses as often as you usually do: 66% 
  • Spent more time watching TV and movies: 57% 
  • Lost income due to a decrease in work hours or less business: 35% 
  • Spent more time shopping online: 22% 
  • Started to work from home for the first time: 20% 
  • Started getting your groceries delivered: 12% 
  • Had problems finding child care: 7% 

TUESDAY TRIVIA

Which former Democratic presidential nominee’s daughter became America’s first woman ambassador? Hint: She was appointed by FDR.
 
(see answer below)

SOURCES
Presidential job rating average based on recent nationwide polls.
Presidential job rating average based on recent nationwide polls.
RATINGS: HANDLING CORONAVIRUS, CORONAVIRUS FALLOUT: Monmouth Univ., March 18-22

TRIVIA ANSWER
William Jennings Bryan. He was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1896, 1900 and 1908. His daughter, Ruth Bryan Owen––a pioneer in the film industry and a member of the U.S. House from Florida––was the first woman ambassador representing the U.S. She was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as ambassador to Denmark and Iceland. She died in 1954.

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