A new NBC News poll shows that President Donald Trump has grown the “Make America Great Again” base, with more registered voters saying they’re part of the MAGA movement today than at this time last year.
By The Numbers:
Today 36% of registered voters say they are part of the “Make America Great Again” movement. This is up from 29% during last November’s election, and 20% last January, when Trump won the Iowa caucus.
This shift is powered by an explosion of self-identifying “MAGA” Republicans. In November, only 55% of Republicans said they were part of the MAGA movement. Today 71% say they’re part of the MAGA movement – a sixteen-point shift.
This consolidation among Republicans has kept Trump’s approval rating in acceptable territory, with 47% of overall voters approving of the job Trump is doing compared to 51% who disapprove.
The Bottom Line: Herein lies the challenge for Republicans running for election in swing states and swing congressional districts across the country. While the Republican Primary Electorate has shifted dramatically, eclipsing the Traditional Republican, Evangelical Republican, and Libertarian factions of the party, the general electorate has only moderately moved. Additionally, these candidates will not have Trump on the ballot to help them. The Wisconsin Supreme Court election earlier this month was a good example of that. To be successful in the elections over the next two years, Republicans will need to learn to define their brand and speak the MAGA language in their own words. Simply trying to copy the president’s style and language will not be enough.
