Public Policy Polling is out with their newest national poll today. First, bad news for the GOP:
PPP’s newest national poll finds that six months after the passage of tax reform, it’s still not really catching on with voters. Only 31% support it to 38% who are opposed, with 30% not sure one way or the other.
The core problem for Republicans with tax reform is that voters continue to be skeptical it’s actually going to help them on a personal level. Just 30% say they think it will help their family’s finances, to 33% who think it will hurt, and 25% who don’t think it will have an impact either way. 51% think it will mostly benefit the rich to 30% for the middle class, and just 7% for the poor.
Tax reform is a piece of an overall issue for the GOP which is that most people still don’t feel their personal economic situation has improved under the Trump administration. 35% say they’re better off than they were a year ago but 26% say they’re worse off, and 37% say they’re in about the same place. Having investments in the stock market continues to be a big dividing line for whether people actually think they’re doing better or not- among those who do 43% say they’re better off and just 16% worse off. But among those who don’t only 27% say they’re better off to 35% who say they’re worse off.
Second, good news for Democrats:
Democrats continue to have an advantage for this fall’s Congressional elections, leading the generic ballot 46-40. That lead grows to 52-43 among voters who say they’re ‘very excited’ to turn out this year. The brand of Congressional Republicans continues to be pretty abysmal. Only 20% of voters approve of the job Paul Ryan is doing, to 60% who disapprove. And he comes out looking popular compared to Mitch McConnell, who has just a 13% approval rating with 58% of voters disapproving of him. Overall Congress has a 6% approval rating.
And more bad news for Trump:
Donald Trump continues to fare poorly, with 39% of voters approving of him to 54% who disapprove. We asked some questions putting Trump in recent historical perspective. 40% of voters say he’s the worst President of the last 40 years to 32% for Barack Obama, with no one else measuring in double digits. When it comes to the best President during that time period, Trump finishes third at 16% behind Obama’s 29% and Ronald Reagan’s 25%. Even among Trump voters 49% pick Reagan as the best President of the last four decades to 38% for Trump so it’s still Reagan’s party to some extent. 53% of voters wish Obama was still President to 41% who are glad Trump is in office.
Stay engaged. Stay active. Let’s keep up the momentum. Get involved with Democrats running for state and federal office this year.