The new Zogby Analytics poll shows President Barack Obama with a 45% approval rating, while 51% disapprove. The poll of 893 likely voters was conducted online May 2 and 3 and has a margin of sampling error of +/-3.3 percentage points.
Mr. Obama's numbers went down 3 points since the last Zogby Analytics poll in late March.
The President receives 73% approval from Democrats, but only 38% and 9% approval from independents and Republicans respectively. His numbers are slightly down among liberals with 79% approving of his job. A majority of moderates also approve (51%).
The youngest voters still do not match their support for the President with 2008 or 2012 - 52% of 18-29 year olds approve and 40% disapprove. If the group is expanded to include all "First Globals (born 1979-1996), 55% favor how he is handling his job as President, while 38% disapprove. His numbers among 30-49 year olds (50%-46%). 50-64 year olds (41%-58%) and those 65 and older (32%-67%) are either down or unchanged from previous Zogby Analytics polling in March.
Mr. Obama's approval among Hispanics is 66%, thus climbing back up to previous levels. He won 67% of Hispanics in 2008 and 71% in 2012. African Americans are down, however -- 84% approve and 14% disapprove. The 14% are not likely to vote Republican in November 2014, but if (as likely from today's poll) they stay home on Election Day, that could spell trouble for some Democratic candidates in battleground Senate states.
The President is rock solid with union households (67%) and respectable among Catholics (51%), but remember that up to 40% of American Catholics are Hispanic.
Three groups that have rounded out the Obama Coalition now give only anemic support: NASCAR fans (50% approve, 47% disapprove), Investor Class (48%-51%), and Creative Class (49%-48%) are well below previous levels of support for Mr. Obama.
This can all be second term blues but thus far the President has not been able to parlay the removal of troops from two wars, some strong economic news, and sanctions against Russia into an advantage. Nor has he benefited much from the numbers of new enrollees in Obamacare exchanges. I will take a look at the Obamacare numbers in my next post.