Trump Now More Popular Than Obama at Same Point in His Presidency
President Donald Trump’s approval numbers continue to rise.
According to Thursday’s Rasmussen Reports daily survey, the Republican president’s approval rating has ticked up to 48 percent, virtually tying his disapproval rating, which stands at 50 percent.
Not only is this the best approval rating spread for Trump since he entered the White House, but it also beats former President Obama’s rating during his same time in office.
On the same day in February 2010, Rasmussen reported Obama’s approval rating at just 46 percent and his disapproval rating at 54 percent.
The latest numbers for Trump are a continuation of his steady rise in job approval rating. Having been underwater by double-digits for most of his presidency, Trump has recently shaved off the spread and is now virtually even with his approval and disapproval rating.
Rasmussen isn’t the only polling firm to report on a Trump bump, nor is the president the only Republican enjoying an uptick in support.
Trump’s approval rating in a new Quinnipiac poll released this week was the highest the survey has reported in seven months, while Monmouth University also reported on a sharp rise in support.
Generic surveys ahead of the midterm elections have indicated a dramatic rise in GOP support among registered voters.
According to all surveys involved, the Republican Party bump is due largely to the passage of tax reform.
In what was Trump’s first major legislative accomplishment as president, he signed GOP-led tax reform into law late last year. The reforms were the most sweeping changes to U.S. tax law since the Reagan administration, slashing tax rates across the board for U.S. companies and the average American taxpayer.
Upon the bill’s passage, major U.S. employers began announcing a plethora of employee benefits, including pay raises, bonuses, added investments and other similar measures.
Since GOP-led tax reform, a significant majority of Americans believe the economy is in great shape.
In the same Quinnipiac survey, 70 percent of respondents said they believed the U.S. economy is excellent or good — this is the best rating of that question from Quinnipiac since 2001. Additionally, 75 percent said they have a positive view of their personal financial situation.
At least six recent national surveys have reported on Trump’s climbing approval numbers in the past two months.
The president has celebrated the numbers on social media.
Trump isn’t the only one enjoying a dramatic rise in approval.
In December, a CNN survey showed Republicans trailing Democrats by nearly 20 points, a deadly sign that the GOP would be in for a drubbing come Election Day this year.
However, things have changed dramatically since the passage of tax reform. Another CNN poll released in January showed Democrats still carrying an edge over Republicans, but this time by only a five-point margin.
This means the GOP narrowed the gap by 13 points in just one month — a monumental shift in direction.
CNN has not been the only news outlet to report on a rapid GOP comeback.
Last December, an NBC-Wall Street Journal poll had Democrats 11 points ahead of the GOP. In January, that same poll showed the Democratic advantage narrowed to six. An Ipsos survey in December showed national Democrats ahead by 14 points. In January, their poll, too, narrowed the gap to just six points.
These changing poll numbers could mean everything when Americans return to the ballot box this November.
Typically, the party in control of the White House loses seats during midterm elections. If Trump and the GOP continue to see an uptick in their popularity, the party can maintain its majority control of Congress.
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