Tamara Keith and Carrie Dann on Trump's approval rating hitting a record low

US President Donald Trump's approval rating has plummeted to a record low of 31%, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted just as the upcoming midterms approach. The drop in support comes as Americans grapple with rising gasoline prices and express a desire to penalize Trump's Republican Party during the November 3 congressional elections.

The poll, which closed on Monday, reveals that 31% of Americans approve of Trump's performance in office, marking a one-point decrease from two weeks prior and the lowest level in either of his presidential terms. When asked to choose their preferred party for the upcoming congressional elections in a generic ballot question, 47% of registered voters opted for Democrats, while 35% preferred Republicans.

This 12-point Democratic advantage is the widest seen in the current election cycle and could strengthen Democratic hopes of gaining control over the US House of Representatives and the US Senate.

For Republicans, losing control of either chamber of Congress could hinder Trump's agenda in his final two years in office. However, generic ballot polls, while indicating national public sentiment, do not account for the intricacies of state-by-state and district-by-district contests that determine control of the Senate and House.

In a previous Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted two weeks earlier, Democrats led Republicans by a narrower 7-point margin, with 44% supporting Democrats and 37% backing Republicans. The recent drop in Republican support is largely attributed to a larger proportion of women favoring Democrats. Specifically, 50% of female voters indicated they would cast their ballots for Democrats, compared to 32% who would support Republican candidates. Men also leaned towards Democrats, though the margin was smaller.

Trump's popularity has waned since he authorized military strikes on Iran in February, in conjunction with US ally Israel. The conflict led to a surge in gasoline prices, negatively impacting household finances. A significant 68% of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, with 37% of self-identified Republicans sharing this sentiment.

The poll, conducted online, surveyed 1,679 US adults, including 1,279 registered voters. The results boasted a margin of error of 2 percentage points for all respondents and 3 points for registered voters.