Many… feel betrayed’: Voters in key states that voted red are already turning on Trump

Donald Trump’s approval rating is officially underwater in twelve of the states he won just last year, according to a new poll from Civiqs. We’re talking about states that were absolutely crucial to his 2024 election victory, but now, more people in those places disapprove of the job he’s doing than approve.

This isn’t just a handful of disgruntled people. The decline is showing up across all seven swing states, plus five other crucial states deemed “deep red”. The poll, conducted on October 17, shows that Trump’s net approval rating, the difference between his approval and disapproval numbers, is negative in every single one of those key battleground states, according to Newsweek.

When you look at the margins he won by in 2024, the current numbers feel like night and day. In Michigan, which he won by just 1.4 percentage points, his net approval is now a staggering -12. Nevada and North Carolina, states he carried by just over 3 percentage points, have also dropped to net approval ratings of -12 and -10, respectively.

“They got exactly what they voted for

The bad news doesn’t stop there for the campaign. Pennsylvania, where he won by 1.8 percentage points, now shows a net approval of -9. Arizona is at -10, and Georgia, which he won by just over two points, is sitting at -8. Even Wisconsin, a state he barely squeaked by with a less than one percentage point victory, is now at -10 net approval.

On the other hand, the deep-red states, which he easily carried by double-digit margins, are also showing negative approval ratings, which is surprising given how loyal those states have been. For instance, in Texas, which he won by a hefty 13.6 percentage points, his net approval has fallen to -3. Florida, carried by over 13 points, is at -6, and Iowa is at -7. Even Ohio, a state he won by over 11 points, is currently at -5, while Alaska is at -1.

These aren’t just arbitrary numbers; they could impact on the balance of power in Congress during next year’s midterms. If his support continues to drop in states that are supposed to be his base, then Democrats could gain the ability to thwart Trump’s agenda in the second half of his term, making it much harder for him to get anything done.

According to Costas Panagopoulos, a political science professor at Northeastern University, the most likely explanation for this deteriorating support is simple: the economy. Voters’ top concern in 2024 was the economy, and many people feel the President hasn’t been focusing on it, and may be hurting it.

“Many clearly believe he has not delivered for them, especially on economic concerns that affect them daily,” Panagopoulos stated. He even pointed out that some of the policies, like tariffs, could be making things worse for many voters by driving up the cost of products. He added that the real impact of what he called the “Big Beautiful Bill” hasn’t even been fully felt yet. Honestly, it sounds like voters are putting the responsibility right on the President’s shoulders, and in his view, “Clearly, many Trump supporters in red states feel betrayed”.