Democrats Open 12-Point Lead as Trump Approval Hits Record Low

Trump – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) – Democrats open 12-point lead over Republicans in a new national poll, just two weeks before Americans vote in the November 3 congressional elections. The Reuters/Ipsos survey also shows President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to its lowest point yet.

The four-day poll closed on Monday. It found that only 31 percent of Americans approve of the way Trump is doing his job. That is one point lower than two weeks ago, and it is the weakest number of either of his terms.

Many voters say rising fuel costs are a big reason for their mood. Higher gas prices have squeezed family budgets, and people are letting their leaders know how they feel.

Pollsters asked registered voters which party they would back if the congressional election were held today. This is called a “generic ballot” question.

Some 47 percent chose Democrats, while 35 percent chose Republicans. That gap of 12 points is the widest of this election cycle.

Two weeks earlier, the same poll showed Democrats ahead by 7 points, at 44 percent to 37 percent. So the gap has grown quickly in a short time.

A large part of the shift came from women. About 50 percent of female voters now say they would vote for a Democrat. Only 32 percent say they would pick a Republican.

Men also lean toward Democrats, but by a smaller margin. Even so, the change among women has done most of the work in widening the lead.

Trump’s standing has slipped since February, when he ordered military strikes on Iran together with US ally Israel. The war pushed gasoline prices higher and hurt many household budgets.

The poll shows 68 percent of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling the economy. That includes 37 percent of people who call themselves Republicans.

Voters were also asked which party they trust more to manage the economy. Democrats won that question, 40 percent to 33 percent.

If the numbers hold, Democrats could have a real chance of winning the House of Representatives. They could also challenge for control of the Senate.

For Republicans, losing even one chamber would make life harder. Trump would face more roadblocks on his plans during the last two years of his term.

A generic ballot poll shows the national mood, but it does not decide who wins Congress. Control of the House and Senate depends on separate races in individual states and districts.

In those contests, Republicans still hold some built-in advantages. That means a big lead in national polling does not guarantee the same result on election night.

The survey was held online and gathered answers from 1,679 US adults. Of those, 1,279 were registered voters.

The margin of error is 2 percentage points for all adults and 3 percentage points for registered voters.

With only days left, both parties will now fight hard for undecided voters. Gas prices and the cost of living are likely to stay at the center of the debate.