Trump not as vulnerable as believed
As thousands of Americans got sick, loved ones died and the economy cratered, many assumed the grim forecast would mean a much tougher road for President Donald Trump to stay in the White House come November.
But a new Gallup poll found Trump’s approval rating has shot up to 49%, matching the best of his presidency and a 5-point boost since the outbreak started. In addition, 60% of Americans in the Gallup poll approved of Trump’s response to the outbreak.
Trump’s 47.3% approval rating in Real Clear Politics’ average of polls is his highest since taking office: He’s up 5 points to 49% in a new ABC/Washington Post poll, up 1 point to 48% in a Fox News poll and up 1 point to 45% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Each showed mixed reviews on his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, in contrast to Gallup.
The polls come well before the full economic toll of the pandemic sets in. Trump, who has banked much of his reelection on a booming economy and stock market, could struggle to keep those approval numbers if skyrocketing job losses soar higher.
But the initial boost for Trump – whose base has remained loyal throughout his presidency – might indicate he’s not as vulnerable as some first thought and raises the possibility that Trump could capitalize by leading the country during and through a major crisis.
“There’s evidence of a rally effect, a kind of rally around the flag, which is a pretty reliable historical pattern that we’ve seen in presidential approval historically,” said Jeffrey Jones, senior editor for the Gallup Poll.
Despite Trump’s gains related to his approval rating, a new Fox News poll on a head-to-head matchup with Democratic front-runner Joe Biden found the former vice president leading Trump 49%-40% – outside the margin of error and virtually unchanged from February.
Democrats, Biden and other critics have hammered Trump as slow and unprepared to respond as the coronavirus spread from Wuhan, China. They’ve blasted his lack of a national plan, mixed messaging and for leaving action up to governors and mayors, who have begged for more medical equipment. Health experts have called Trump’s pitch to get the nation back to business in a matter of weeks dangerous.
Trump, in turn, has touted his decision to ban travel from China after the virus accelerated in the city of Wuhan and praised the rise in testing in the U.S. after a slow start that was roundly criticized.
“Anybody who attempts to politicize and weaponize a public health crisis is revealed to be petty and peevish,” presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway told The Washington Post. “To criticize Trump now is to criticize public health officials, FEMA, first responders, private-sector businesses that are all coming forward to help.”