Fox News Poll: Trump Approval Slips to 36% as Prices Weigh on Voters

Republicans looking for good news less than three weeks before the midterms will not find much in the latest Fox News poll. They will find a clear map of what to fix.

According to The Hill, the Fox News survey found 36% of respondents approve of Trump's overall handling of the presidency and 64% disapprove. The Hill describes that as his lowest mark in either term. The poll was conducted Oct. 9 to 12 among 1,202 registered voters, with a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points.

The party breakdown matters. Among Republican respondents, 76% approved and 23% disapproved. Among Democrats, 98% disapproved. Independents split 78% disapproving to 22% approving. Fox noted the decline was sharpest among likely voters aged 45 and under, households earning below $50,000 a year, non-white voters and people without a college degree.

On issues, prices are the problem. Only 22% approved of his handling of inflation, down from 36% in a survey last summer, according to The Hill. His economic approval stood at 30%, with 70% disapproving. On tariffs, 69% disapproved. On foreign policy, 64% disapproved, and on immigration 56% disapproved.

There is one bright spot. Border security was rated highest among the key issues, with 50% approving and 50% disapproving.

The Hill ties the numbers to the cost of living and the war with Iran, which it says has driven oil price spikes. It reports regular gas costs about $4.33 a gallon as of Wednesday, $1.25 higher than a year ago, according to AAA.

So what does this mean for conservatives? Not that voters have abandoned the agenda. The border is still the issue where the president holds his own. It means that the kitchen-table issues of gas, groceries and rent are where this election will be won or lost, and that no amount of rally energy substitutes for lower prices.

Polls are snapshots, not predictions, and this one carries a 2.5-point margin of error. But a snapshot this clear is worth reading carefully.