Kathmandu. The popularity rate of US President Donald Trump has increased by one percentage point from last week’s historic low point to 32 percent. This is according to a Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted ahead of the November 3 mid-term elections.
According to a survey completed on Monday, 47 percent of registered voters chose the Democratic Party and 36 percent chose the Republican Party on the question of which party should control the US Congress. 11 percent of the voters said that they have not decided who to vote for.
Compared to the survey completed on October 19, the lead of the Democratic Party has decreased by one percentage point. Including the inclination of undecided voters, the support of the Democratic Party is 50 percent and the Republican Party is 41 percent. On this basis, the Democratic Party is leading by nine percentage points.
The midterm elections on November 3 will determine which party will retain control of both houses of the US Congress (House of Representatives and Senate). Currently, the Republican Party is struggling to maintain the majority in both houses.
It has been analyzed that Trump may have difficulty implementing policies and programs in the remaining two years of his second term, even if he loses control of only one house of Congress.
A tough challenge for Democrats in the Senate
Political analysts have seen a good chance of the Democratic Party gaining a majority in the House of Representatives. But they believe that he will have to face a more difficult challenge to maintain control in the Senate.
It is not yet clear how many voters will participate in the actual voting. But even among voters who are more likely to vote, the Democratic Party is ahead with 53 percent support. The support of the Republican Party is 44 percent.
A major concern of voters is cost
The survey showed that the main concern of the voters in the election was the rising cost of living. 73 percent of voters participating in the survey said that their cost of living is going in the wrong direction.
Gasoline prices rose after Trump ordered a military strike against Iran in February, fueling inflationary concerns, according to Reuters.
In a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted before the war with Iran, more voters thought the Republican Party was better suited to manage the US economy than the Democratic Party. But in the latest survey, 37 percent of the voters consider the Democratic Party and 33 percent of the Republican Party suitable for managing the economy.
Democrats more enthusiastic about voting
The survey also showed that supporters of the Democratic Party are more enthusiastic about voting in the midterm elections. 46 percent of Democratic Party supporters say they are very excited to vote in the midterm elections. Among the supporters of the Republican Party, the number of those who say this is 30 percent.
1,679 US adults participated in the online survey. Among them, 1,280 were registered voters. The poll’s margin of error is two percentage points for adults overall and three percentage points for registered voters, according to Reuters.