'Cracks are starting to show' in Trump’s base as economic anxiety mounts

As President Donald Trump continues to flub his handling of the main issue currently motivating voters, CNN reported that "cracks are starting to show" in his own base, per the findings of their new poll, which found a notable decline in his support from Republicans.

During the Tuesday morning broadcast of CNN's News Central, host Katie Bolduan shared the findings from the network's latest poll on voter sentiments pertaining to the economy. The findings, she explained, reinforced the "deep anxiety" over the cost of living that voters have been venting about for months, much to Trump's annoyance, marking another blow to what was once considered his issue, the one many believe got him reelected in the first place.

"The numbers revealing a deep anxiety about affordability," Bolduan said. "That word and growing warning signs for President Trump. Seventy-three percent describing economic conditions right now, today, as poor in the country. That's not a good outlook on what was once considered, of course, President Trump's strongest issue. His approval rating on the economy has fallen to a new career low [of 30 percent]. Americans are worried, full stop are worried, full stop, worried about paying their bills, especially surprise ones."

Roughly two-thirds of the poll respondents said that they could not "comfortably afford" an emergency expense of $1,000.

"On this most central issue of just being able to pay for everyday life, cracks are starting to show among the president's base," she added.

"Me and my husband work 12-hour days, 5 to 6 days a week, and we have to decide if we're going to buy groceries or pay for gas," one respondent, a Republican woman in her 20s living in Ohio, told CNN.

"I don't know how anyone from my generation will ever do anything except rent," another respondent, a Republican man in his 20s living in Georgia, added.

CNN's Washington bureau chief, David Chalian, said that this "bleak" and "pessimistic" outlook for the economy has been holding steady for "five years running now," ever since the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"And even while some structural things of the economy are strong, people are not feeling it in terms of what they're paying and in terms of their feeling secure in their personal economy," Chalian explained. "You noted that a top-line approval number for Trump's handling of the economy, 30 percent approve. That is a record low across his entire time in public life. As you suggested, this used to be one of his strong suits. He used to outperform his approval rating on the issue of the economy.

He continued: "That is a low. And why this matters, economy and cost of living, 55 percent of respondents in our poll say that is the most important issue facing the country. Do you see here? Nothing else comes even close to it. This is where the majority of Americans are in terms of importance of issues in their mind."

Chalian showed a ranking of issues along with the percentage of respondent who called it their top issue. The economy topped the list at 55 percent, trailed distantly by concerns about the health of democracy at 19 percent. Other issues like immigration, healthcare and crime did not top two digits.

Chalian also noted that Trump had fallen below 50 percent approval in his own party for his handling of gas prices, something he was not able to recall ever happening before.

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