Trump and GOP taking messaging hit on shutdown
New polls indicate the American public is putting the brunt of the blame on Republicans.
By MARIANNE LEVINE and JOHN BRESNAHAN
01/13/2019 10:27 AM EST
Updated 01/13/2019 12:36 PM EST
President Donald Trump and Republicans are losing the messaging war on the government shutdown.
The shutdown is now the longest in U.S. history, entering its 23rd day, and there appears to be no end in sight. As Trump repeatedly declares he won't reopen the government unless he gets funding for his border wall, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) are adamant that they will not fund the project.
Trump’s message on the shutdown — blaming Democrats for refusing to concede on his border wall — isn't convincing the American public. Instead, the majority of Americans think Trump and Republicans are at fault for the shutdown, according to two new polls. A Washington Post-ABC News found that 53 percent of respondents blamed Trump and Republicans in Congress for the shutdown, while 29 percent blamed Democrats. Thirteen percent of respondents said both sides were equally to blame.
Another poll from CNN found that 55 percent of respondents blamed Trump, while 32 percent blamed Democrats. Nine percent blamed both sides.
Trump's disapproval ratings are also rising, with the CNN poll showing his overall rating getting worse by 5 percentage points since the shutdown started.
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https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/13/government-shutdown-republicans-trump-1098723