More bad news for Democrats. Will voters during the midterms want to revert back to the economic bad times of the Obama era?
Thirty-seven percent of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the country today, up from 29% in April. Gallup has not measured a higher level of satisfaction since a 39% reading in late September 2005, although 37% were also satisfied right before the November 2016 election, and 36% were satisfied in February 2018 after the State of the Union address.
The latest results are based on a May 1-10 Gallup poll, which was conducted after North Korea announced it will end testing of nuclear weapons and engage in diplomatic talks with the U.S. The higher satisfaction recorded this month also followed the release of the April U.S. jobs report, showing unemployment at 3.9%, the lowest since 2000.
Satisfaction now exactly matches the historical average of 37% dating back to Gallup’s initial measurement of this question in 1979. On an annual basis, the percentage satisfiedhas been below 30%each year since 2005, including 27% in 2017.
So far in 2018, an average of 32% of Americans have been satisfied, still below the historical average for the entire trend. Sub-30% ratings in January, March and April have offset the relatively high satisfaction this month (37%) and in February (36%). The February reading came after President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, in which he touted recently passed tax cuts and the country’s economic progress.
Republicans, Independents More Satisfied
The rise in satisfaction this past month has been attributable to a large increase among independents (from 26% to 35%) and a smaller increase among Republicans (from 57% to 63%). Meanwhile, 14% of Democrats are satisfied, essentially unchanged from 13% readings the past three months, and similar to the 12% average for that group since Trump became president.
Dems are not going to win the midterms by being grumpy when everyone else is happy.
Satisfaction With Way Things Are Going in U.S. Rises to 37%
Story Highlights Has not been a higher level of satisfaction since September 2005 Satisfaction has risen among Republicans, independents WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thirty-seven percent of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the country today, up from 29% in April.