Judy: A new pbs newshour NPR
marist poll is out today and it
has good news for Republicans,
but indicates a rocky road ahead
for president Biden and
Democrats as the midterm
election season swings into
gear.
To help us break it all down,
I'm joined by our political
correspondent, Lisa Desjardins.
So, hello.
First of all, what is in here
about how president Biden is
doing?
Lisa: There is a margin of error
here, about 3% or 4% depending
on the category.
Let's look at the president's
approval rating over the past
few months.
It got lower in March.
It has increased a little bit,
41%.
Given that margin of error, it's
about static.
It has not changed much.
It is technically higher than
the approval rating at the
lowest point for president
trump, but that is not a
comparison immigrants want.
Some good news -- Democrats
want.
This doesn't indicate the fate
of a president, however it is a
problem for Democrats on the
ballot in November.
I want to drill down into
something specific that may
alarm them.
Let's look at their base.
If you ask people that we
surveyed if they strongly
approve of president Biden,
let's see who strongly approves.
Only 43% of Democrats strongly
approve of the president.
That is the base he want to get
out.
3% of Republicans, no surprise.
Independents, only 9% of
independents strongly approve of
president Biden.
That is a big enthusiasm problem
for Democrats that they have to
think about.
Judy: You are talking about
Democrats broadly.
You did look more closely at
that.
What does this suggest that
Democrats need to think about
for November?
Lisa: There are significant
issues in which Democrats see a
larger gap forming between them
and Republicans in public
opinion.
The number one issue right now
seems to be the economy, of
course.
When you look at the economy,
the blue line indicates people
who believe Democrats would do
better with the economy.
The red line, that much larger
line, people who leave
Republicans would do better with
the economy.
We also saw in this survey that
most Americans believe, more
Americans believe that
Republicans would do better on
crime.
Look at that immigration figure,
by a narrow amount more
Americans believe Republicans
would do a better job handling
immigration than Democrats.
Where do Democrats do well?
On the coronavirus, more
Americans believe Democrats
would do better on that than
Republicans.
Those are major issues right
now.
Democrats are falling behind.
Democrats still do well with
things like climate change.
But talking to our pollster on
this, he said it is a problem
because the front of mind issues
are where Democrats are losing
ground.
>> Right now the issues of
greatest significance for the
voters tend to be favoring the
Republicans.
That is also driving these
numbers of why Republicans are
in good shape.
One caveat is we don't know what
will be on people's minds in
October and November.
What we clearly have learned in
the last year or so is the
issues come and go in fast
fashion.
Lisa: One issue he mentioned,
abortion and the supreme court
decision we expect soon.
Judy: There is another issue
Republicans have spent a fair
amount of time emphasizing this
year.
It is education.
Yet Democrats seem to do well
with that.
Lisa: There is something
interesting when you look at how
people feel on education.
Let's look at the data.
You ask voters who does a better
job and education, overall more
Americans believe Democrats
would do better on education.
But if you ask parents who have
children under the age of 18,
people who are in schools, they
believe Republicans by a narrow
amount would do a better job.
That is why you are seeing this
problem at school boards and
meetings across the country.
Those parents are starting to
trust Republicans more than
Democrats, though it is close.
Judy: No doubt connection to
covid.
You also looked at some
particular voter groups,
including Latinos.
What did you find?
Lisa: We have seen in many
cycles that this is a voting
group that is not chosen
Republicans.
Latinos are not monolithic.
I want to look at where they
have been in the past few years
in terms of big surveys.
This is where the percent of
Latinos that told exit polars in
-- pollers in 2020 that they
voted for Biden.
In our survey, this is the
percent that said they would
support a Democrat in November.
39%.
52% voting Republican.
And that is a huge issue in some
states with some close elections
like Texas and large Latino
populations.
It is a population that when I
talked to Latino leaders, they
feel Democrats have not done
enough to reach out.
Judy: It will be interesting to
understand what issues matter
most.
Lisa: We will have more polls
ahead.
Judy: Lisa, thank you.