With only about 8 months in office, U.S. President Donald Trump is facing an uphill battle winning the popularity, confidence and trust of Michiganders.
In an exclusive EPIC MRA poll, released first to WXYZ-TV 7/Detroit Free Press and our media partners in Lansing, Grand Rapids and Flint, a 53% majority of likely voters say they are worried about Mr. Trump having access to the nuclear launch codes.
Thirty-eight percent of the 600 people surveyed statewide say they are “not really worried at all” about the President having the power to launch nuclear weapons, and 9% are “a little worried.”
Based on President Trump’s controversial tweets, speeches and behavior in the White House, the poll also asked a question about Trump’s mental behavior. Forty-five percent believe he is “mentally stable” while 43% said the President is “mentally unstable.” Twelve percent are undecided.
Asked if it was fair to pose a question about the President’s mental health, Bernie Porn, President of Lansing-based EPIC MRA said, “Because of his behavior since taking office, President Trump has made this an issue of public concern. Everything that has happened to him has been self-inflicted. When a majority of Michiganders are worried about Trump having the nuclear code that should be a great level of concern.”
The poll shows that 55% do not believe the investigations by the FBI, Justice Department and Congressional committees are a witch-hunt aimed at the President by his political enemies. Thirty-four percent believe it is and 11% aren’t sure.
On job performance, the poll gives President Trump a 62% negative rating, 35% positive rating and 3% who are still trying to make up their minds.
Fifty-seven percent believe the country is on the wrong track, 29% say were headed in the right direction and 14% are still thinking about it. Trump’s favorability numbers in Michigan are at 36% compared to the 56% who don’t like him.
Although the poll indicates Trump has failed in appealing to the center of the voting electorate since taking office, he is still, for the most part, holding onto the support base that propelled him from a wealthy New York businessman to America’s Commander-in-Chief.
But Porn notes that the President is showing a little slippage in his loyal following.
“In our May 2017 survey, Trump was showing an even 46% split in his job rating and favorability in Macomb County where he won last November. “
Today, Trump has a 54% negative rating and 42% positive rating in that county. Forty-eight percent like him and 44% don’t like him.
“The President hasn’t slipped enough yet to cause the Republican leadership in Congress to abandon him,” Porn says.
And finally, 56% of Michiganders say former President Barack Obama has been a “more effective leader” as President than President Trump. Thirty-two percent give Trump the best leadership marks, and 12% can’t seem to pick either one.
This latest EPIC MRA poll was conducted August 27 – September 1 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.0%. Thirty percent of respondents answered the questions on their mobile devices.
Read the complete poll results below:
Overall, would you say that things in the country are generally headed in the right direction, or,
have things pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track?
Right direction - 29%
Wrong track – 57%
Undecided/Refused to answer – 14%
Now, I would like to read the names of several political figures. For each one, please tell me if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of that person.
Donald Trump
Favorable – 21%
Unfavorable – 56%
Undecided/Refused to answer – 8%
Overall, how would you rate the job that Donald Trump is doing as President – would you give him a positive rating of excellent or pretty good, or a negative rating of just fair or poor?
Positive – 35%
Negative – 62%
Undecided/Refused to answer – 3%
Who do you think has been the more effective leader as President – President Donald Trump or
former President Barack Obama?
Donald Trump - 32%
Barack Obama - 56%
Undecided/Refused - 12%
President Trump says that the investigations by the FBI, Justice Department and Congressional
Committees are nothing more than a witch-hunt aimed at him by his political enemies. Do you agree with President Trump or disagree with him?
Agree - 34%
Disagree - 55%
Undecided/Refused - 11%
How much do you worry about President Trump having access to the nuclear launch codes and the authority to launch nuclear weapons? Are you very worried, somewhat worried, only a little worried, or not really worried at all?
Worried – 53%
Only a little worried – 9%
Not really worried at all – 38%
Thinking about President Donald Trump’s behavior in office, do you think that it is possible that
Donald Trump suffers from mental instability, or, do you think that he exhibits behavior that indicates that he is a mentally stable person?
Mentally stable person - 45%
Mentally unstable person - 43%
Undecided/Refused - 12%
Based on your personal experience or what you know or have heard or read, do you support or oppose the efforts of the Tea Party movement?
Support – 23%
Oppose – 42%
Undecided/Refused to answer – 35%
Finally, I would like to ask you a few questions about yourself for statistical purposes.
Would you describe yourself as (ROTATE) a conservative, a moderate or a liberal?
Conservative – 36%
Moderate – 34%
Liberal – 17%
Undecided/Refused – 13%
Generally speaking, do you consider yourself a Republican or a Democrat?
Democrat – 42%
Republican – 38%
Independent – 14%
Undecided/Refused to answer – 5%
