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Trump Remains GOP Gatekeeper Despite 33% Approval

Falling approval tied to the Iran war plus rising living costs has narrowed his national standing and exposed regional limits to his endorsement power.

Overview

  • A Reuters/Ipsos poll shows President Trump’s approval at 33% with 64% disapproval, the lowest level of his two presidencies and a sign of shrinking broad voter support.
  • Recent state primaries produced mixed results that illustrate those limits: Trump-backed Byron Donalds won Florida’s Republican gubernatorial primary while other endorsed figures such as Cory Mills lost or saw support withdrawn.
  • The White House cites a 98% success rate for its endorsements but analysts say that rate is inflated because it counts many uncontested races and therefore overstates persuasive power in competitive contests.
  • Scholars warn that primaries favor small, highly motivated base voters and that low-competition districts let those primary electorates effectively choose officeholders, boosting ideologically driven nominees on both sides.
  • The combination of eroding approval, policy strains and primary-driven polarization could lower turnout or cost Republicans close races in November, so observers will watch competitive districts and whether endorsements shift toward electability.