Copyright Benzinga
A favorability rating for President Donald Trump hits a new low for his second term in office as the federal government shutdown hits record lengths. Here's a look at what voters think of Trump and what it could mean for the 2026 and 2028 elections. Trump's Favorability Falls A poll of nationally registered voters found that support for Trump is falling as the government shutdown impacts items like SNAP benefits, airline travel and federal worker pay. An Emerson College poll conducted Nov. 3 through Nov. 4 found Trump with an overall approval rating of 41%, down 4 points from the October poll, which showed him at 45%. Trump's disapproval rating rose one point to 49% in the November poll. The latest poll marks the lowest approval rating for Trump since the second presidential term began in January 2025. "Nearly one year after he was elected, President Trump's approval has flipped since the first Emerson College poll of the new administration," Emerson College Polling executive director Spencer Kimball said. In January, Trump had an approval rating of 49% and a disapproval rating of 41%. The new poll found Trump losing support from Republican voters with an approval rating of 79%, down 12 points from the October poll. Trump's disapproval rating also saw a big seven-point jump from 44% to 51% for Independent voters in November. "Since his inauguration, Trump has lost support among key groups." Read Also: Trump’s AI Images On Social Media ‘Tacky,’ ‘Disturbing’ & ‘Unpresidential’: Majority Of Voters Disapprove 2026 Election Shows Support For Democrats The Emerson College poll asked voters if the 2026 election for Congress were held today, would they support the Democratic or Republican candidate. The results were: Republican: 40% (43% in October) Democratic: 44% (44% in October) A majority of voters polled (57%) said they are more motivated to vote in 2026 than in the 2024 midterm elections. "Democrats report being most motivated to vote in the 2026 Midterm Elections, at 71%, compared to 60% of Republicans, and 42% of Independents," Kimball said. Trump remains a key factor in the 2026 election, with 43% off voters saying they will vote in the Midterms to oppose President Trump, while 29% say they will vote to show support for Trump. Twenty-eight percent said Trump is not a factor in their vote for the 2026 election. For the 2026 Midterm election, the economy is listed as the most crucial issue, with 75% of voters saying it is very important. The support for Democrats with the economy the most important issue could show how rising costs at grocery stores, the government shutdown and tariffs could be overshadowing record highs for the stock market. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY), which tracks the S&P 500, trade at $667.52 at the time of writing, hitting a new all-time high of $689.70 on Oct. 29. The ETF has hit many record highs in 2025. While Trump has boasted about record-high stock prices, the poll for the 2026 Midterms shows voters want change. Other issues listed as very important to voters in the 2026 Midterms were threats to democracy (61%), immigration (59%) and housing affordability (57%). 2028 Presidential Election Early Look The Emerson College poll also asked voters who they would support for the Democratic and Republican nominations in the 2028 presidential election today. Here are the results for Democrats, with the percentage from the poll in November 2024 in parentheses: Gavin Newsom: 24% (7%) Kamala Harris: 10% (37%) Pete Buttigieg: 9% (4%) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: 3% (1%) Someone Else: 19% (16%) Undecided: 35% (35%) Here are the results for Republicans, with the percentage from the poll in November 2024 in parentheses: JD Vance: 54% (30%) Donald Trump: 7% (23%) Marco Rubio: 6% (1%) Ron DeSantis: 2% (5%) Someone Else: 6% (13%) Undecided: 25% (28%) The 2028 presidential election remains three years away and will continue to shift until candidates officially announce their intention to run. Read Next: Zohran Mamdani Wins NYC Mayor Race, Abigail Spanberger Becomes Virginia’s First Female Governor In Historic Democratic Win Image: Shutterstock
