Intense backlash against President Donald Trump could help Democrats flip the Senate in November’s midterm elections, according to CNN’s Harry Enten.
The network’s chief data analyst revealed that the 80-year-old’s popularity has plummeted in six states that could prove crucial in determining who controls the upper chamber after November’s races: Alaska, Maine, Iowa, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas.
Democrats need to flip four seats in the midterms to retake control of the Senate, a task Enten said has been made easier because Trump’s approval rating has fallen sharply in the six key states compared with 2024.
“In 2024, on average, he won those states by eight points, and most of them he won by double digits,” Enten said while showing Trump’s average 2024 net approval rating in those states at plus 8 percentage points.
“But look where he is now on his net approval rating. Down, down he goes into the Ohio River. Look at this, he’s at minus 11 points. It’s a nearly 20-point switcheroo in the negative direction,” Enten added.
“Donald Trump is now underwater by double digits in the six key Senate states that Democrats need to win four of in order to take control of the United States Senate.”
Enten then revealed just how dire Trump’s approval ratings are in those crucial states: Alaska (-1 percentage point), Texas (-9), Iowa (-10), Ohio (-10), North Carolina (-14), and Maine (-21).
“So Donald Trump, across the board, in each of the six key Senate states, is now underwater in all of them, despite winning five of the six in 2024.”
CNN’s data guru explained that Trump’s handling of the economy and the cost-of-living crisis is the main reason he is hemorrhaging support across those states.
Enten then revealed that Trump’s approval rating on handling the cost of living is even worse than his overall numbers: Alaska (-22 percentage points), Texas (-21), Iowa (-24), Ohio (-26), North Carolina (-29), and a whopping -36 in Maine.
“In each of the six key Senate races, where the cost of living is the number one issue, he is no better than minus 21 points,” Enten said. “His net approval rating is underwater by more than 20 points in all six of the key Senate states.
“This is why I say that Donald John Trump is an anchor dragging down these Republican candidates across the board. If they lose the Senate, it will be because of Donald Trump becoming so unpopular, especially on the cost of living.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
