Yes rporter. The short-term polls for April have been a puzzle. Both Trump and Biden have dropped. Usually a drop in one candidate means a rise in the other. This is based on the average of 14 polls taken since 1 Apr. As for the longer term or time frame, I think we all know we’ve entered today’s modern political era of polarization, the great divide, the super, mega, ultra-high partisanship. The era of straight party line votes. An us vs. them attitude in congress and between parties. The era of pragmatism is passé, the era of compromise and playing the old political game of give and take, history.

We know both major parties are shrinking, independents on the rise. From 30% of the electorate in 2006 up to 42% today. Today, the prominent divide ideological wise between the two major parties is huge and growing. Long gone is when both major parties had their liberal and conservative wings. The democrats, their solid conservative south, the republicans, the old Rockefeller republican liberal northeast. The ideological divide was within both major parties, not one party vs. the other as it is today.

Trump losing support, he never lost it among republicans. Although some prominent republicans have come out against him, the GOP base is still solidly behind Trump. Trump never had any support among democrats. Independents were always lukewarm, or I should say luke cold to him from the day he first entered politics in 2016. Most independents aren’t passionate pro or anti Trump. I would say the passionate, avid Trump supporters always have been around 40% of all Americans, which holds true today. Perhaps a point or two up or down since 2016. The same for the passionate, avid anti-Trumpers, around 40%. Which also hasn’t changed much since 2016. That leaves the mild, flexible middle or the final 20% give or take. Who neither love nor hate Trump. I would say this latter group doesn’t care much for Trump. Doesn’t care much is the right phrase. Which is why Trump has a 55% unfavorable rating. They view Trump somewhat unfavorable, not very unfavorable as the anti-Trumpers do. But they’d still vote for Trump depending on how they viewed his opponent. More unfavorable as in 2016 or less unfavorable as in 2020. Or roughly the same unfavorable or dislike of both in 2024.

It's high past time that we start electing Americans to congress and the presidency who put America first instead of their political party. For way too long we have been electing Republicans and Democrats who happen to be Americans instead of Americans who happen to be Republicans and Democrats.