Reuters/Ipsos Data: Core Political (03/27/2019)

Washington, D.C. - After the Department of Justice released the summary findings from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, one third of Americans (34%) feel the U.S. is heading in the right direction, up four points since last week (30%). Republicans (64%) continue to be more optimistic about the direction of the country than Democrats (15%) or Independents (27%). 

President Trump is also enjoying a slight increase in approval ratings this week following the release of the Mueller Report summary. Forty-two percent of all Americans approve of the job he is doing - up three points from last week. Republicans unsurprisingly constitute the bulk of the president’s support, as 83% of them approve of the president, including half (50%) who strongly support Trump. Independents (36%) and Democrats (13%) are far more critical of Trump’s performance.

Looking at specific issues, Trump’s performance on jobs (52%) and the economy (50%) still garner the most support from Americans. Although Trump’s approval on Russia (38%) remains low, following the Mueller Report news, his ratings on his handling of Russia have increased by three points since last week (35%). Immigration (45%) and international trade (44%) receive moderate support from the public. Americans continue to view President Trump least favorably in relation to the environment (37%) and corruption (38%). 

As Republicans and Democrats return from their March recess this week, only a quarter (25%) of Americans approve of Congress as a whole. Both Democrats (29%) and Republicans (27%) are more satisfied with the legislative body than Independents (22%). The public continues to approve of their congressperson more than Congress as a whole, with around half of Americans (47%) approving of the job their representative is doing. Democrats (56%) are slightly happier with their legislator than Republicans (51%) are, but both are far happier with their representative than Independents (37%). 

The top issues in the country continue to be healthcare (18%) and immigration (17%). Perceptions of the most important problems remain driven by political affiliation. Democrats (26%) report healthcare is the biggest issue facing the country today, compared with only 13% of Republicans. Nearly one third of Republicans (30%) put immigration as the most important issue in the nation, while only 7% of Democrats agree. Independents remain split on the issues, with no clear front runner between healthcare (16%) and immigration (14%). Independents also report the economy (12%) as a top issue.

About this Study

These are findings from an Ipsos poll conducted for Thomson Reuters between March 20-26, 2019. For the survey, a sample of 4,603 Americans, including 1,875 Democrats, 1,675 Republicans, and 665 Independents ages 18+ were interviewed online. The precision of the Reuters/Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 1.6 percentage points for all adults, 2.6 percentage points for Democrats, 2.7 percentage points for Republicans, and 4.3 percentage points for Independents. For more information about credibility intervals, please see the appendix.

The data were weighted to the U.S. current population data by gender, age, education, and ethnicity. Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Figures marked by an asterisk (*) indicate a percentage value of greater than zero but less than one half of one per cent. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. To see more information on this and other Reuters/Ipsos polls, please visit http://polling.reuters.com/.

For more information on this news release please contact:

Clifford Young
President, U.S.
Ipsos Public Affairs
202.420.2016
[email protected]

Chris Jackson
Vice President, U.S.
Ipsos Public Affairs
202.420.2011
[email protected]

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