Poll: Trump’s job performance scores low among New Mexicans

President Donald Trump’s approval rating in New Mexico after his first few months in office is among the lowest in the nation. That’s according to newly-released results from Gallup, the venerable polling service that releases daily national poll numbers on Trump’s approval rating. In New Mexico, Trump’s approval rating sits at 37 percent, while 56 […]

Poll: Trump’s job performance scores low among New Mexicans

President Donald Trump’s approval rating in New Mexico after his first few months in office is among the lowest in the nation.

That’s according to newly-released results from Gallup, the venerable polling service that releases daily national poll numbers on Trump’s approval rating.

In New Mexico, Trump’s approval rating sits at 37 percent, while 56 percent disapprove of Trump’s job performance. That approval rating is the 11th-lowest of any state, tied with Rhode Island.

Nationwide in the same time period, between Trump’s inauguration and Junde 30, 40 percent of adults approved of Trump’s job performance while 54 percent disapproved.

Gabe Sanchez, a political science professor at the University of New Mexico, told NM Political Report he believes the health care overhaul pursued by Republicans and Trump is one reason for the low approval rating.

“I think part of it is the challenge of the [Affordable Care Act], given that half of the state’s population and growing relies on Medicaid,” Sanchez said of Trump’s low numbers in New Mexico.

Sanchez is also the co-director of the Institute of Policy, Evaluation and Applied Research at UNM as well as a principal at Latino Decisions, a polling firm that focuses on polling Latinos.

While the U.S. Senate still does not know which health care proposal they will vote on later this week, proposals have largely focused on ending Medicaid expansion at some point.

Sanchez said while the ACA is not itself extremely popular—nationwide the most recent Kaiser Health Tracking Poll found 40 percent of adults had a favorable opinion of the law against 44 percent with an unfavorable opinion and a Gallup poll pegged its approval rating at 53 percent against 44 percent who disapproved—it has provided healthcare to more people in the state and New Mexico’s benefits from the law have been among the best in the country.

Gallup’s analysis of the polling numbers also mentioned the health care overhaul.

“Trump and the Republican majority have yet to achieve many of their hoped-for policy goals, including repeal of the Affordable Care Act and tax reform,” Gallup’s analysts wrote.

Sanchez also noted “the governor kind of distancing herself more lately and coming out against his policies” could be another contributing factor, even if Gov. Susana Martinez’s approval ratings are themselves not as high as they were in her first term.

As for going forward, Sanchez said it’s unclear what impact Trump will have on elections in 2018.

“I think candidates are going to try to dance around Trump and not really be connected to him positively or negatively,” Sanchez said. He also noted that New Mexico does not always vote the same way in federal elections as in state elections.

The interviews took place between Jan. 20 and June 30. Gallup polled 81,155 adults overall, including 648 in New Mexico. Gallup polled 70 percent cellphone respondents and 30 percent landline respondents. The overall margin of error is +/- 1 percentage point, with higher margins of error for individual states. The state margins of error are at +/- 8 percent at the highest, with most states at +/- 4 percent. Gallup did not break out the margin of error for each individual state.

We're ad free

That means that we rely on support from readers like you. Help us keep reporting on the most important New Mexico Stories by donating today.

Related

Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pocket vetoed two bills the legislature passed this legislative session: one changing the Cybersecurity Act and the other concerning law…
Gov signs bills with some vetoes 

Gov signs bills with some vetoes 

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed 69 bills that the legislature passed during the 2024 legislative session. These included the General Appropriations Act which contains…
Guv signs state budget

Guv signs state budget

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the budget bill for Fiscal Year 2025 and the Capital Outlay spending bill. The FY25 state budget bill passed…
State fines oil company more than $2 million after spill

State fines oil company more than $2 million after spill

The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department fined an oil and gas company operating in the Permian Basin more than $2 million over produced…
PRC denies request to build LNG storage facility

PRC denies request to build LNG storage facility

The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission unanimously rejected a request by the New Mexico Gas Co. to build, own and operate a liquified natural…
NM Supreme Court upholds Community Solar Rule

NM Supreme Court upholds Community Solar Rule

Hours after the New Mexico Supreme Court heard arguments in the investor-owned utilities’ appeal of the community solar rule, the justices upheld the regulations…
Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican The main things that bring Brayan Chavez to school every day: Seeing, talking to and engaging with…
Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican Brittany Behenna Griffith has a laundry list of adjectives to describe the ideal special education teacher:…
Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican A challenging task awaits New Mexico lawmakers in the next 30 days: Reconciling three very different…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…
Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee discussed a potential constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the governor’s executive powers. The committee approved…
Supreme Court censures attorney over conduct in anti-COVID policy suits

Supreme Court censures attorney over conduct in anti-COVID policy suits

The New Mexico State Supreme Court censured a New Mexico attorney because of her “misconduct” in two unsuccessful cases pushing back on COVID-19 regulations…
Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Later this month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the case against the abortion medication mifepristone. It will hear a second…
How Biden, others highlighted reproductive rights at the State of the Union

How Biden, others highlighted reproductive rights at the State of the Union

President Joe Biden highlighted reproductive rights issues as part of his State of the Union speech Thursday. Biden delivered his 2024 State of the…
Stansbury invites OB-GYN doctor as her state of the union guest 

Stansbury invites OB-GYN doctor as her state of the union guest 

U.S. House of Rep. Melanie Stansbury has invited an OB-GYN doctor from Roswell as her guest for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union…
Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Later this month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the case against the abortion medication mifepristone. It will hear a second…
How Biden, others highlighted reproductive rights at the State of the Union

How Biden, others highlighted reproductive rights at the State of the Union

President Joe Biden highlighted reproductive rights issues as part of his State of the Union speech Thursday. Biden delivered his 2024 State of the…
Stansbury invites OB-GYN doctor as her state of the union guest 

Stansbury invites OB-GYN doctor as her state of the union guest 

U.S. House of Rep. Melanie Stansbury has invited an OB-GYN doctor from Roswell as her guest for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union…
See who’s going to be on your primary ballot in June

See who’s going to be on your primary ballot in June

Tuesday marked the official beginning of the 2024 New Mexico primary season for the legislature, with candidates officially filing for candidacy. This is the…

Bill to require disclosure of use of AI in campaign materials goes to governor

The Senate approved a bill aiming to require the disclosure of the use of artificial intelligence or other changes made by computers to campaign…
House amends, passes bill banning firearms near polling places

House amends, passes bill banning firearms near polling places

The House narrowly approved a bill that would ban firearms near polling places. The House voted 35-34 to pass the bill following an extensive…
U.S. Supreme Court lets ban on Couy Griffin from holding office stand

U.S. Supreme Court lets ban on Couy Griffin from holding office stand

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of a Republican official who was barred from holding office after being convicted for a…
Politics Newsletter: legislative leaders not running for reelection

Politics Newsletter: legislative leaders not running for reelection

Hello fellow political junkies! Candidate filing day has come and gone, and members of House and Senate leadership opted to either not seek reelection…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report