President Donald Trump declared a national emergency last week after Congress failed to fully fund his $5.7 million funding request for border wall construction. According to a Morning Consult/POLITICO poll, however, voters are skeptical of Mr. Trump’s maneuver. Only 39% of registered voters support his declaration (26% strongly; 13% somewhat), while 51% (41% strongly; 10% somewhat) oppose it.
Not surprisingly, Republicans (77% total support), those who voted for a GOP House candidate in 2018 (81% total support), and those who voted for Mr. Trump (83% total support) are the most supportive. Democrats (81% total oppose), those who voted for Hillary Clinton (85% total oppose), and those who voted for a Democratic House candidate in 2018 (86% total oppose) are the least supportive.
Independents (51% total oppose), Independent women (53% total oppose), suburban voters (55% total oppose), Midwestern voters (50% total oppose) and college educated voters (54% total oppose) oppose the move. Support is anemic among rural voters (47% total support), Southerners (45% total support), and non-college educated voters (40% total support), indicating that even some voters generally considered part of the president’s base have doubts.
While it is unclear whether the Administration will win the legal arguments surrounding the declaration, these early numbers show there is work to do to win in the court of public opinion.
