①The latest poll by Ipsos found that, affected by soaring fuel prices and widespread public dissatisfaction with the war against Iran he initiated, US President Trump's approval rating has fallen to its lowest point since his return to the White House; ②Meanwhile, results from a special election in Florida's 87th congressional district showed that the congressional seat in the state where Trump’s private residence, Mar-a-Lago, is located was also won by the Democratic Party.
Cailian Press reported on March 25 (edited by Xiaoxiang) that the latest poll by Ipsos found that, affected by soaring fuel prices and widespread public dissatisfaction with the war against Iran he initiated, US President Trump's approval rating has fallen to its lowest point since his return to the White House.
Meanwhile, results from a special election in Florida's 87th congressional district announced Tuesday evening local time showed that the congressional seat in the state where Trump’s private residence, Mar-a-Lago, is located was also won by the Democratic Party. This result is seen by many industry insiders as a key indicator ahead of the November midterm elections...
Trump’s Approval Rating Hits New Low Amid Middle East Conflict
A four-day poll completed by Ipsos on Monday showed that only 36% of Americans approve of Trump's job performance, down from 40% in last week’s poll.
Since the joint strike by the US and Israel on Iran on February 28, evaluations of Trump’s economic governance and handling of living costs have significantly deteriorated amid rising gasoline prices nationwide. In this poll, only 25% of respondents approved of how Trump addressed cost-of-living issues, which had been a core element of his 2024 presidential campaign.
The poll showed that only 29% of Americans nationwide approved of Trump's economic governance, marking the lowest approval rating during his two terms and lower than any economic approval rating of his predecessor Biden. Voters’ concerns about the economy—particularly rising living costs—were a crucial factor in Biden’s defeat in 2024. At that time, Trump campaigned on a promise to create a vibrant economic environment.
Analysts said that this poll indicates Trump is facing strong public opposition.
Trump’s overall approval rating stood at 47% in the early days of his term and has remained around 40% since last summer. Currently, although it has dropped to its lowest point since his return to the White House, it remains higher than the 33% low during his first term and slightly above Biden’s record low of 35%.
However, for a president who initially promised to avoid “stupid wars,” the conflict with Iran could further shift the landscape. The survey shows that currently, only 35% of Americans support the airstrikes against Iran, down from 37% last week. Approximately 61% disapprove of the strikes, up from 59% last week. Early polls were conducted immediately after the initial US-Israeli attack when many Americans were still learning about the situation.
According to the latest public opinion poll, approximately 46% of respondents indicated that the war with Iran will make the United States less secure in the long term. Only 26% believe it will make the country safer, while the remainder think it will not have much impact either way.
Since the outbreak of this conflict, the average price of gasoline in the United States has risen by about one dollar per gallon, as the conflict has significantly reduced oil shipments from the Middle East to other parts of the world. Experts warn that persistently high fuel prices will ultimately affect a broader range of economic sectors.
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Is even the location of Mar-a-Lago 'turning blue'?
In addition to the latest polling figures, another potentially alarming piece of news for the White House and Republicans on Tuesday might come from Trump’s 'backyard,' the location of Mar-a-Lago.
It was reported that the results of the special election for Florida's 87th House District were announced on Tuesday, with Democratic candidate Emily Gregory successfully flipping the district by winning with an over 2-percentage-point margin against Republican candidate Jon Maples, who was endorsed by Trump, securing the seat for the district. Notably, Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate is located within this district.
Given the overwhelming Republican majority in the Florida State Legislature, the unexpected defeat has minimal direct implications for the state's political landscape. However, ahead of November’s midterm congressional elections, this remains a critical warning signal for Republicans, who will strive to maintain their majority in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Meanwhile, for Democrats, this victory represents a particularly symbolic triumph...
Notably, Trump and the Republicans had comfortably won Florida’s 87th district in 2024, securing a significant advantage of about 19 percentage points. The district encompasses Palm Beach, which Trump designated as his primary residence during his first term after relocating from Trump Tower in Manhattan to Mar-a-Lago.
For Trump, who strongly supported Maples, this defeat is particularly 'embarrassing.' On Monday, he had posted on social media endorsing Maples, stating that he was giving this Republican candidate 'full and complete support!'
This defeat may also complicate the Republican plan to redraw Florida’s congressional districts, which was initially designed to secure more seats for the party. This is because spreading Republican voters across more districts could reduce their average partisan lean — making these districts easier for Democrats to win if they perform exceptionally well in a given year. Political scientists refer to such rare scenarios as 'dummymander' — where attempts to manipulate district boundaries end up harming the map drawers more than their opponents.
According to her campaign website, Gregory runs a fitness center catering to new mothers and pregnant women. Like many successful Democratic candidates during Trump's second term, she emphasized the issue of living costs and pledged to 'fight for a healthier and more affordable Florida where families can thrive.'
Gregory’s victory continues a series of wins or better-than-expected performances by Democrats in non-election years and special elections over recent months. As polls indicate growing voter dissatisfaction with Trump's handling of the economy, many Democratic candidates have sensed opportunities at the federal, state, and local levels. Statistics show that since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, Democrats have captured 29 seats in state legislatures across the country from Republicans.
Heather Williams, chair of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, stated in a release: 'Mar-a-Lago has just turned from red to blue, which should make Republicans nervous heading into the midterms.'
Editor/Rocky