President Donald Trump’s approval rating is underwater in North Carolina, a state he carried in all three of his presidential runs, according to a new poll.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email on Tuesday.
Why It Matters
Trump narrowly carried North Carolina, a state about evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, by about 3.3 points in the 2024 presidential election.
His approval ratings in swing states and congressional districts may carry significant impact for the 2026 midterms—particularly in North Carolina, where Democrats are hoping to flip the Senate seat held by GOP Senator Thom Tillis.
What To Know
The Meredith Poll, which surveyed 759 respondents in North Carolina from April 2 to April 8, found that Trump is 15 points underwater in the Tar Heel State, despite its Republican tilt in recent presidential elections.
Of those who responded to the poll, 24 percent said they strongly approve of Trump’s job performance, while 17 percent said they somewhat approve, totaling 41 percent. On the other hand, 43 percent strongly disapprove and 13 percent somewhat disapprove, totaling 56 percent.
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An additional 4 percent said they don’t know how they feel about Trump’s job performance.
The poll also found that a plurality of the state’s voters believe Trump’s tariffs on automobiles and parts will negatively impact their finances—47 percent said they believe the tariffs will either hurt their financial situation “a little” or “a lot.”
Only 23 percent said they believe the tariffs would improve their financial situation, and 29 percent said they aren’t sure of the tariffs’ impact.
Trump on Monday left the door open to a potential pause on the automobile tariffs, saying he was “looking at something to help some of the car companies,” reported the Associated Press.
The poll had a confidence interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
It’s the second recent poll to show that Trump’s approval is in the negative in North Carolina. An Elon University poll, which surveyed 800 North Carolina residents from March 3 to March 11, found that 45 percent of respondents disapproved of his job performance, compared to 42 percent who approved.
What People Are Saying
Meredith Poll Director David McLennan, in the poll report: “Our survey was in the field as President Trump implemented the nearly universal tariffs and the stock market dropped significantly. It is hard for people to be optimistic about the economy’s future when they are worried about the price of goods and their retirement funds.”
Trump said on Truth Social, in response to an NBC poll suggesting a growing number of voters identify as MAGA supporters: “A just out NBC Poll says that MAGA is gaining tremendous support. I am not, at all, surprised!!!”
What Happens Next
North Carolina voters will have the chance to make their voices heard on key issues like the economy during next year’s midterms, when Tillis and each member of Congress is up for reelection.
On the Democratic side, former Representative Wiley Nickel has announced he’s running. Former Governor Roy Cooper has also not ruled out a bid.
