President Trump's Approval Rating 'Under Water' in Maryland: Poll

BALTIMORE, MD — Maryland residents, who voted overwhelmingly for Democrat Hillary Clinton in the presidential election, not surprisingly give President Donald Trump low job approval marks. A new Goucher Poll released Thursday shows that 29 percent of Marylanders approve of the way the GOP businessman is handling his job as president of the United States and 64 percent disapprove.

Trump has won praise from his supporters for acting on campaign promises, including executive orders to halt immigration from seven predominately Muslim countries, resume construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access oil pipelines, start the planning process to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, and to shut down portions of Obamacare.

But in a general election where Clinton won the popular vote while Trump won the Electoral College count, the actions have stirred controversy. And in Maryland, where Democrats outnumber registered Republicans, the poll shows opinions about President Trump are heavily divided along partisan lines.

The presidential job approval ratings break down this way:

• Registered Democrats give Trump a 7 percent approval rating, 88 percent disapprove
• Registered Independents: 29 percent approve, 56 percent disapprove
• Registered Republicans: 71 percent approve, 22 percent disapprove

“President Trump’s approval ratings in Maryland, a state he lost by 25 points in November, reflect his difficulties garnering support outside of his core base,” said Dr. Mileah Kromer, director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center. “At the same time, the majority of Republicans in Maryland approve of the job he is doing. However, in a solid blue state, that isn’t enough to put his approval ratings above water.”

A Quinnipiac University Poll released Wednesday showed voters nationwide give President Trump low approval ratings. Trump received a negative 38 job approval rating, his worst net score since he took office, down from a 42 approval rating in a Feb. 7 Quinnipiac University national poll. Eighty-three percent of Republicans nationally approve of Trump's handling of the job, while only 5 percent of Democrats and 38 percent of independent voters approve.

Trump is doing more to unite the country, 36 percent of American voters say, while 58 percent say he is doing more to divide the nation, according to the poll.

"President Donald Trump's popularity is sinking like a rock," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. "He gets slammed on honesty, empathy, level headedness and the ability to unite. And two of his strong points, leadership and intelligence, are sinking to new lows. This is a terrible survey one month in."

Popularity of Maryland Senators and U.S. Congress

Thirty-six percent of Marylanders “don’t know” whether they approve or disapprove of the job newly-elected U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen is doing. Forty-four percent approve of the job he is doing and 19 percent disapprove, according to the Goucher Poll.

Forty-five percent of Marylanders approve of the job U.S. Senator Ben Cardin is doing, 21 percent disapprove, and 34 percent don’t know. Senator Cardin will be up for re-election in 2018.

Both senators and President Trump have a higher approval rating than Congress. Twenty-one percent approve of the job Congress is doing and 72 percent disapprove, the poll says.

The complete Goucher Poll results, including methodology and question design, can be downloaded here.

»Photo of President Donald Trump courtesy of the White House