New Delhi: With the US midterm elections a few weeks away, a new Pew Research Center survey finds Americans increasingly dissatisfied with the direction of the country, a mood that favours the Democrats.
The survey was conducted from 28 September to 4 October among 5,062 US adults, including 3,917 registered voters, through Pew’s American Trends Panel.
US President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 30 per cent, down from 34 per cent in July and 37 per cent in January as dissatisfaction grows over the economy and his handling of the military conflict with Iran.
Among registered voters, Democratic candidates lead Republican candidates by eight per cent in preferences for the House of Representatives.
The survey found that Democratic supporters are also more engaged in the upcoming elections. Seventy-eight per cent said it really matters which party controls Congress next year, compared with 69 per cent of those backing Republicans.
Fifty per cent of Democratic supporters said they had thought a lot about the election, against 36 per cent of Republican supporters.
Economy remains top concern
The economy continues to be the most important issue for voters, with 84 per cent saying it is very important to their vote. This includes 88 per cent of Democratic supporters and 82 per cent of Republican supporters.
Public assessments of the economy have worsened. According to the survey, only 21 per cent of Americans described economic conditions as excellent or good, down from 28 per cent at the beginning of the year.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans (65 per cent) said Trump’s economic policies had made conditions worse, up from 52 per cent in January. While Republicans remain divided over the impact of his policies, Democrats overwhelmingly believe they have worsened the economy.
Among Democrats, only nine per cent rate economic conditions as excellent or good, a share that has remained largely unchanged since July. However, the proportion who describe conditions as poor has risen from 48 per cent in July to 56 per cent according to the survey.
Concerns over fuel prices have also increased. About 74 per cent of Americans said they were very concerned about gas and energy prices, up from 60 per cent in July and 43 per cent in January, before the military conflict with Iran began.
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Opposition to Iran conflict grows
The conflict has been unpopular from the start, and opposition to Trump’s handling of it has increased. About 65 per cent of Americans disapprove of how he is handling the US military action in Iran, while 33 per cent approve.
In March, shortly after the conflict began, 61 per cent disapproved of Trump’s handling of it, while 37 per cent approved.
Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents remain overwhelmingly opposed to the conflict, but the shift is largely attributed to Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who have also grown more negative in their views.
At the start of the conflict, 69 per cent of Republicans approved of his handling of the conflict. That number has fallen to 63 per cent, according to the latest survey.
The midterms are set to be held on 3 November.