Trump's approval falls to record-low 31% ahead of US midterms, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds
US President Donald Trump's approval rating has fallen to 31%, its lowest level across both of his presidential terms, while Democrats have widened their lead over Republicans ahead of the November 3 congressional elections, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll published on October 19.
The four-day survey found that 31% of Americans approve of Trump's performance in office, down one percentage point from two weeks earlier.
Among registered voters, 47% said they would vote for Democratic candidates if congressional elections were held today, compared with 35% who favored Republicans. The 12-point Democratic lead is the largest recorded during the current election cycle, up from seven points two weeks earlier.
Women accounted for much of the shift, with 50% favoring Democrats and 32% Republicans.
Trump's approval has suffered since the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iran in February, triggering a war that drove up gasoline prices and strained household budgets, Reuters reported.
The poll found that 68% of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, including 37% of self-identified Republicans.
Democrats also held a 40% to 33% advantage when respondents were asked which party would better manage the economy.
The results could strengthen Democratic hopes of gaining control of the House of Representatives or Senate in the November 3 midterm elections, potentially complicating Trump's legislative agenda during the final two years of his term.
However, Reuters cautioned that nationwide congressional polling does not fully reflect the district-by-district and state-by-state contests that determine control of Congress.
The online Reuters/Ipsos survey included 1,679 US adults, of whom 1,279 were registered voters. The margin of error was approximately two percentage points for all respondents and three points for registered voters.
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