My Wall Street Journal column last week noted the White House has had a tumultuous first six months. A July 31 Morning Consult/POLITICO poll found that Americans agree.
The poll found 38% of all voters say President Donald Trump’s Administration is running “very chaotically.” This includes 10% of Republicans, 64% of Democrats, and 38% of Independents. Twenty-two percent say the Administration is running “somewhat chaotically,” including 24% of Republicans, 16% of Democrats, and 27% of Independents. Only 23% of Americans say the Trump Administration is running “somewhat well,” including 41% of Republicans, 8% of Democrats, and 19% of Independents. Just 10% of voters believe that Mr. Trump’s White House is running “very well” (21% Republican; 4% Democrat; 6% Independent). Even voters who supported Mr. Trump in 2016 see discord. Among Trump voters, 32% say the Administration is running “very” (5%) or “somewhat chaotically” (27%). Forty-four percent say things are running “somewhat well,” and only 20% think they are going “very well.”
Looking ahead to 2018, the GOP has a chance to pick up five Democrat-held Senate seats in the Midwest (IN, MI, MO, OH, WI), and will need to defend a number of House seats in swing suburban areas like Northern Virginia and Miami. Sixty-three percent of voters in the Midwest say it is running “very” (42%) or “somewhat chaotically” (21%). Fifty-two percent of rural voters think the Administration is running “very” (30%) or “somewhat chaotically” (22%), while 61% of suburban voters say the same (39% “very;” 22% “somewhat”). With the appointment of Gen. John Kelly as Chief of Staff, the president has a chance to reset he scene and reassure Americans that he is serious about governing. Mr. Trump’s presidency and the GOP’s Senate and House majorities may depend on it.
