Republicans Run 4 Points Ahead of Trump Approval in Recent Polls
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Oct 1
Republicans Run 4 Points Ahead of Trump Approval in Recent Polls
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Oct 1
Summary
Recent national polling shows Republicans at 41% support versus Donald Trump’s 37% approval, suggesting the party is modestly outperforming the president heading into the midterms.
Seven key Senate-state polls show a wider spread: Susan Collins runs about 10 points ahead of Trump on average, Mike Rogers by 8 in Michigan and John Sununu by 7 in New Hampshire, while Republicans in North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa and Texas are no more than 2 points ahead.
History suggests that kind of overperformance is limited. Across more than 75 midterm contests in 44 states, candidates from the president’s party beat presidential approval by an average of 2 points, and fewer than 1 in 10 Senate candidates exceed it by 10 points.
The pattern matters because low presidential ratings usually drag down same-party candidates, making large gaps like Collins’ earlier 17-point Maine poll lead over Trump’s approval notable but unusual.