Felon’s Numbers Reach Record Territory. What a Downer

By Michael Woyton

“The president is polling somewhere between Ebola and Ed Sheeran right now,” said Jimmy Kimmel on his late-night talk show Tuesday.

It’s a funny line, sure, but it’s not as funny as the results from the latest survey done by the American Research Group.

On Monday, ARG (no, it’s not talk like a pirate day) said a total of 29 percent of Americans, down from 30 percent in August, approve of the way president donald j. felon* is handling his job.

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Sixty-eight percent said they disapproved of his job handling, up from 66 percent in August.

Regarding the economy, only 26 percent approve of the way the grifter-in-chief is doing, with 71 percent disapproving.

Among registered voters, it isn’t much better. ARG reported that only 30 percent approve of the adjudicated rapist’s job performance; 68 percent disapprove. When asked about the economy it was 27 percent approval and 71 percent disapproval from registered voters.

ARG said the results were based on 1,100 completed interviews with a random sampling of adults between Sept. 16 through Sept. 20. The theoretical margin of error is ±3 percentage points.

While the ARG numbers take the convicted felon below 30 percent for the first time, CNN chimed in Wednesday with new polling that said the president has a net approval rating with independents of negative 71 points.

CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten could not have been more excited as he explained that in the 2024 election, the elderly golfer beat Vice President Kamala Harris by 15 points among independent voters.

The president’s approval at this time has shifted, in less than two years, 86 points among “pure” independent voters, those who do not favor either Democrats or Republicans.

“I mean, these are the deep depths of the ocean,” Enten said. “You never see numbers like these.” 

"A brand new CNN poll shows President Trump at an all time low in his approval rating… look at his net approval rating now with pure independents – it's negative 71 points! I mean, these are the deep depths of the ocean. You never see numbers like these. An 86 point shift away from the president!"

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-09-23T14:07:10.807Z

Overall, CNN’s polling has the president with a 33 percent approval rating and a 67 percent disapproval rating.

“Two-thirds of Americans say Trump has worsened economic conditions in the country, and majorities say that the war in Iran, as well as new tariffs, have had a negative effect on their own finances,” CNN said. “By contrast, few say they’re seeing benefits from Trump policies like changes to the tax law, or the establishment of Trump Accounts for children born during his second term.”

While most Americans called increased gas prices a financial hardship — through only about one-quarter called it severe — “the public remains dubious that Trump has any plan to address the issue,” according to CNN.

Voters in the midwest, particularly Iowa, aren’t too happy with the way the mayor of Mar-a-Lago is handling things, and it’s showing in a recent survey of the 2026 midterm elections by the Marist Poll.

When registered voters in Iowa were asked if they approved of the job the president is doing, only 41 percent said yes, with 58 percent saying they disapproved.

That is having an effect on the state-wide races in Iowa.

On the generic congressional ballot question, 50 percent of registered voters favor the Democratic candidate over the Republican (45 percent), though a majority thinks the Republican will the election.

In the Iowa gubernatorial race, Democrat Rob Sand is leading Republican Zach Lahn 54 percent to 42 percent.

In the race for United States Senate, Democrat Josh Turek is ahead of Republican Ashley Hinson by eight points: 50 percent to 42 percent. Regardless of who they support, voters said Hinson would defeat Turek, according to the Marist Poll.

The Marist Poll surveyed 1,050 registered Iowans between Sept. 17 and Sept. 20. The margin of error is ±4.4 percentage points.

Yes, the numbers are not great for the red side of the aisle, but they are only poll numbers. You know the adage “the only poll that matters is on Election Day.”

However, they are probably closer to the truth if one considers the offer the mango Mussolini made at his trumpalooza convention of $5,000 to every adult American if the House and Senate remain in GOP control.

Then again, if you believe he will actually make good on that offer, make sure you get your maga hat before they go out of style.

— — — — —

* I’m following what the wannabe king declared on social media that he will only refer to the Supreme Court in lowercase because he has a complete lack of respect for them after the illegal tariffs ruling.

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Lead art: screen grab from CNN via YouTube.

Published by Michael Woyton

Michael Woyton is an award-winning journalist who covered municipalities and school districts for the Poughkeepsie (NY) Journal and local and regional news in the Hudson Valley for Patch Media.

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