Young Donald Trump supporters. (Image via AFP)
One of the most enduring ideas the general public, and especially Democrats, have about President Donald Trump's supporters is that they are bound by an unflappable, cult-like devotion to the president that transcends any sort of logic, reason, or reservations.
But in a lengthy thread on Twitter Tuesday, former University of Wisconsin-Madison professor and Marquette Law School Poll Director Charles Franklin revealed polling data that show this isn't quite true. There are plenty of solid Trump partisans — but voters supporting Trump are, on average, less attached to him than voters opposing Trump are repelled by him:
A few fractures in the base; or partisan asymmetry in evaluations of the president. 1/14— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566334815.0
For most of his presidency Trump has enjoyed approval among Republicans in the high 80 percent range. This has been… https://t.co/4o6dSi26Re— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566334909.0
@KFF These are impressive numbers. But consider the DISapproval among Democrats for the same period: 94, 88, 89, 88… https://t.co/5AkcW2JokP— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566334962.0
If that were the full story, polarization reigns and the parties are symmetric in their devotion or disgust. All n… https://t.co/Qj8yCDfPXf— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566335016.0
Approval is usually dichotomized but is often measured in four points-strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat… https://t.co/X9sRP8lRDB— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566335066.0
Among Republicans in 2019, 65% strongly approved of Trump's handing of his presidency. But among Democrats 80% stro… https://t.co/800EqjjdAM— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566335116.0
For Republicans, the 65% strong approval was paired with 20% who somewhat approved. That oft cited 85% total approv… https://t.co/JtvHRBaEBk— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566335176.0
We might mention independents as well. In 2019 39% approved, 52% disapproved, but again strength mattered among Ind… https://t.co/L1CZENosec— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566335239.0
Partisanship also varies in strength. (Pooling all 2019 data.) Compare partisans with independents who lean to a pa… https://t.co/ZNs6liXo1C— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566335295.0
Among Rep leaners 42% strongly approve and 33% somewhat approve. For Dem leaners: 72% strongly disapprove and 16% s… https://t.co/1LrtK19utr— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566335337.0
Strong approval is 23 points higher among Reps than among Rep leaners. For Dems the gap is modest, 80% of Dems stro… https://t.co/FyHCHLv572— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566335379.0
While Reps are over 85% approving of the president, the ratio of strong-to-some approval is just over 3 to 1. Among… https://t.co/umk38KoInf— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566335444.0
It seems likely that GOP voters, either partisans or leaners, will find reasons to come home to Trump against a spe… https://t.co/Jz9ClYdrkT— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566335490.0
There are strengths and weaknesses for both parties heading into 2020. But one of the most often cited Trump streng… https://t.co/0up14qZKhO— Charles Franklin (@Charles Franklin)1566335558.0
