Trump is deeply unpopular — yet voters still loathe Democrats

Winter temperatures may still be gripping much of the country, but President Trump’s record-low approval rating has Democrats feeling positively springlike.  

A YouGov/Economist poll published this week found Trump’s net approval at a dismal minus-23. Respondents in a CNN poll gave him similarly failing grades on his handling of the economy, immigration and other core issues. Trump’s collapsing popularity has Democrats licking their chops at the prospect of winning back not only the House in this year’s midterm elections but the Senate as well. 

But the fact that voters are seeing through Trump’s empty promises does not mean they suddenly support Democrats. In fact, CNN’s poll found Democrats trailing Republicans by 4 points in total party approval. At just 28 percent, voter approval of the Democratic Party is actually lower than it was at this time last year. So Democrats shouldn’t go popping their celebratory champagne bottles just yet.

There are some good signs in recent polls. The most motivated voters support Democrats by a nearly two-to-one ratio, which suggests that Trump’s disastrous presidency has sapped the enthusiasm of rank-and-file Republican voters. Voters also say they trust Democrats more than Republicans to protect their health care — a top concern for the Americans most likely to cast ballots in November.  

Even with those advantages, though, most voters still think of Democrats as inept and weak-willed politicians who won’t — or can’t — stand up to Trump’s........

© The Hill