It’s Trump’s Party Now!
Trump aligned gubernatorial candidates in Georgia, Minnesota, and Kansas upended more conventional Republican candidates. It’s unclear that these candidates will win in November, but it is clear that Trump is enormously popular among Republican voters, and if you’re an elected or campaigning Republican candidate, you cross him at your peril. Trump is attracting white working class men voters without a college education and repulsing white college educated suburban women. He’s doing very well in rural America and very poorly in urban America. His loss of appeal in many traditionally Republican suburbs will make for some interesting House races this fall.
He’s become over-exposed on a number of hot button issues and now serves as a lightning rod of disapproval among Democratic and independent voters. He’s shrinking rather than expanding his party’s appeal, and his very persona is primarily responsible for the allegiance of his base and the energized opposition. He’s roughly 10 points underwater in terms of net approval ratings – a historic low among modern Presidents – and counterintuitive to the strong economy. https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/
He’s held on to his popularity in the South and the midwestern farm states, but everywhere else he has been losing popularity since his inauguration. His highest approval ratings are in West Virginia and Wyoming -- our nation's two largest coal producers. The industrial Midwest turned against him over a year ago and has been quite steady in its disapproval ever since. https://morningconsult.com/tracking-trump/
If the Congressional Republicans begin to break from him due to tariffs, Russia, corruption, incompetence, unhinged tweeting or racism, he appears to be more popular with their base than they are. So it’s his party now, and they will rise or fall along with him. Wherever you are, please get out to vote in November and bring all your friends and family. Let's take back our country from this apostle of hatred and vitriol and his retrograde views and policies.
Prepared by: Lucien Wulsin
Dated: 8/15/2018