Phil Ammann
Since winning the presidential election, Donald Trump has become more popular with Americans, a new poll of registered voters shows.
According to a survey conducted by POLITICO/Morning Consult Nov. 16-18, 45 percent of voters now have either a very favorable or somewhat favorable opinion of Trump. Twelve percent say they have a somewhat unfavorable opinion and 34 percent have a very unfavorable opinion of the president-elect.
Anna Palmer of POLITICO calls it a “dramatic uptick” since the election Nov. 8. Trump’s favorability has jumped by 9 points, from 37 to 46 percent, compared to a similar Morning Consult poll taken just before the election. His unfavorability rating dropped 15 points, from 61 to 46 percent.
In addition, less than one-third of respondents believe Trump’s children should play a role in his administration, and only one in four say certain Trump family members should be given security clearance.
Voters are also supporting Trump’s call for a lobbying ban.
Sixty-one percent of voters say they believe lobbyists should not serve in presidential administrations (Democrats by 55 percent; 67 percent of Republicans). Despite that, around four in 10 believe it is very or somewhat likely Trump will restrain the influence of lobbyists and special interests in his White House.
President Barack Obama has also become slightly more popular, with 54 percent of voters approving his job performance; 43 percent disapprove. Before the election, 50 percent approved; 48 percent disapproved.
“Trump’s favorability among voters has reached new highs since he became president-elect,” Morning Consult co-founder and Chief Research Officer Kyle Dropp told POLITICO in a statement. “This honeymoon phase in common for new presidents. For example, Obama saw about a 20-point swing in his favor following the 2008 election.”
Trump’s transition also is being well received, as 19 percent of respondents believe it is better organized than previous efforts; 34 percent say his transition is about the same.
Dropp notes “many of the initial transition picks, including Reince Priebus, Steve Bannon, and Jeff Sessions are still largely unknown to Americans.”
The survey found more than half of respondents had never heard of, or had no opinion, on Priebus (Trump’s choice for chief of staff) chief strategist Bannon, or Alabama Sen. Sessions, his pick for attorney general.
Nevertheless, about a third of voters called Priebus a “strong choice,” as opposed to 27 percent who say it was “weak.” Two in 10 feel Bannon was a strong choice; 34 percent called it weak.
The POLITICO/Morning Consult poll contacted 1,885 registered voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percent. Thirty-three percent of those surveyed self-identify as Democrats, 32 percent independents, and 33 percent Republicans.
