The Geography of Obama’s Tanking Approval Ratings

The debt ceiling debacle, the stalled economy, and a run of natural disasters have all taken their toll on the American psyche, not to mention a huge whack at President Obama’s popularity. The president’s approval hit a record low in late August, according to Gallup’s daily poll, with only 38 percent of those surveyed saying they approved of the job he's doing as president, while more than half (55 percent) said they disapproved. While large majorities of black Americans continue to support the president, he has seen a steady erosion of support from Latinos, college graduates, and higher income Americans. He's taking hits not just from conservatives, but from his core constituency on the left as well. On August 25, AFL-CIO chief Richard Trumka accused him of working “with the Tea Party to offer cuts to middle class programs” and threatened to sit out the Democratic convention next year.

But what is the geography of the president’s approval? How does Obama fare at the state level, which is so critical given the role of the Electoral College? Are these trends redrawing the all-important red versus blue map of American states?