Our research below provides messaging guidance for progressives to win key policy debates.
Trump’s rating on handling the pandemic has reached a new low point with the public generally concerned that his actions have put lives at risk and are now hurting the country’s chances for a safe reopening.
Trump’s rating on his handling of the pandemic shows a decline among older Americans and independents as 1 in 6 urban residents report knowing someone who has died from coronavirus.
Governors retain higher approval ratings than Trump on handling the pandemic as a second wave of the pandemic continues to be a top worry for Americans, and a majority maintain concerns that social distancing will end too soon.
An increasing number of Americans say that they think the worst is yet to come regarding the pandemic; Republicans who wear a mask regularly hold different views on the nature of the crisis than those who do not.
As the public reports anxiety about the job market, Trump’s economic approval is on the decline; Americans say their greatest concern on the president’s economic response to the pandemic is stimulus money benefitting the wealthy instead of the people most in need.
Americans are deeply worried about a second wave of the pandemic, oppose a full reopening of the country but express openness to partially reopening their own community, and remain concerned by Trump putting lives at risk, downplaying the crisis, and failing to take responsibility.
As Americans report hearing less from Trump on coronavirus, the public sees Congressional Democrats’ response to the pandemic as favoring the working class while Trump’s response favors the wealthy.
Americans have misgivings about Trump’s initial response to the pandemic and have doubts he’s doing enough now amidst rising concerns social distancing will end too soon rather than go on too long.
A majority of Americans continue to disapprove of Trump’s handling of coronavirus, as most are practicing social distancing despite partisan differences on whether or not to relax the measures.
Most Americans believe that Trump’s economic response to coronavirus favors the wealthy, while governors are seen as striking the right balance between handling the pandemic and the economic crisis.
Americans continue to rate governors more highly on handling the pandemic than Trump as the public reports hearing more negative than positive things about Trump’s response, particularly his comments on injecting disinfectant.
Americans continue to rate governors more highly on handling the pandemic than Trump as the public reports hearing more negative than positive things about Trump’s response, particularly his comments on injecting disinfectant.
Independents, people of color and older Americans give Trump low marks for his handling of the pandemic at a time when perception of the economy reaches new lows in our daily tracking and protests are doing little to sway overall public opinion on social distancing.
Americans continue to trust state and local governments more than Trump; the public reports more comfortability interacting with friends if the country reopens soon rather than going to restaurants or large gatherings.
Trump’s behavior at press conferences continues to give the public a negative impression of his handling of the pandemic and think he should leave the briefings to health experts; Americans blame the president on testing and PPE shortages, while reporting broad support for expanding vote-by-mail this November.
