Donald Trump’s Approval Rating Flips With Rural Voters 25JUL26

 MAYBE, just maybe it is finally sinking in to those who voted for NOT MY pres drumpf/trump that maybe they made a mistake. Democrats just need to make sure they don't get pulled into pointless social issues that most people are not concerned about when a huge number of Americans are doing everything they can to put food on their table, keep a roof over their heads and are praying they don't get seriously sick. To change the direction our country is going we need to stay focused on affordability of groceries, gasoline, utilities, housing, health insurance, medication and childcare along with the illegal war on Iran, the epstein files and the out of control ice hsi and cbp gestapo. The 2026 Midterm election day is 3 NOVEMBER. From Newsweek.....

Donald Trump’s Approval Rating Flips With Rural Voters

By Sam Stevenson

Associate News Editor

President Donald Trump's approval rating among rural Americans has swung back into negative territory, according to a new Fox News poll, reversing a brief improvement seen just a month earlier and raising fresh questions about one of the president's most reliable voting blocs.

Key Points

• A new Fox News poll found Trump at 44 percent approval and 56 percent disapproval among rural voters, giving him a net -12 approval rating.
• That is a 14-point decline from June, when the same polling series found him at 51 percent approval and 49 percent disapproval, a net +2 rating.
• Trump's overall approval rating remains deeply underwater at 39 percent approve and 61 percent disapprove, a net -22 rating, unchanged from May and one point worse than June.
• Rural voters continue to view Trump more favorably than voters overall, but dissatisfaction with the economy and inflation remains widespread.

What To Know

Trump's approval rating among rural voters fell from net positive territory in June to net negative territory in July, according to consecutive Fox News national polls conducted roughly one month apart.

Rural America has long been the foundation of Trump's political coalition. A 14-point swing in a single month suggests volatility within a group that has historically been among his strongest sources of support.

Republicans heading into the 2026 midterms will be watching closely to see whether declining approval among rural voters translates into softer turnout or reduced margins in competitive states and congressional districts.

In a response the administration has used repeatedly in reply to polling inquiries, spokesman Davis Ingle said "the ultimate poll was November 5, 2024," adding that Trump is continuing to deliver on a "popular and commonsense agenda" and that "this is just the beginning as his agenda continues taking effect."

Why It Matters

Rural America has become one of the Republican Party's most important electoral advantages over the past decade. While Trump remains considerably more popular in rural communities than he is nationally, shifts within the group can be politically significant because Republican victories often depend on running up large margins outside major metropolitan areas.

The latest results are particularly notable because they erase a brief rebound recorded in June. After climbing back above water for the first time in months, Trump's standing among rural voters has once again slipped into negative territory.

That movement also comes as economic concerns continue to dominate voter sentiment. Rising costs, stubborn inflation and renewed tensions involving Iran have all remained prominent issues during the summer, particularly in farming communities that are more exposed to changes in fuel and fertilizer prices.

Rural Approval Swings Negative Again

The latest Fox News poll was conducted July 17-20, 2026, among 1,003 registered voters nationwide and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Among rural voters, Trump recorded:

• 44 percent approve
• 56 percent disapprove
• Net approval: -12

While those numbers are stronger than Trump's overall standing, they nevertheless represent a sharp deterioration from June.

The previous Fox News poll found:

• 51 percent approve
• 49 percent disapprove
• Net approval: +2

Taken together, the results represent a 14-point swing against Trump among rural voters in just one month.

Long-Term Trend

The July result is the latest twist in what has been an increasingly uneven trend for Trump among rural voters. At the start of his second term, rural America remained one of the president's strongest political bases.

In March 2025, Fox News polling showed Trump with a net approval rating of +20 among rural voters, even as his overall approval rating nationwide was already slightly underwater at -2.

Support eroded through much of 2025. Rural net approval slipped to +7 by June 2025 before recovering somewhat to +11 in December, suggesting that while his standing remained considerably stronger in rural communities than among voters overall, enthusiasm was no longer as robust as it had been immediately after taking office.

The sharpest deterioration came during 2026. Rural approval dropped from +2 in April to -14 in May, marking the first significant move into negative territory in this polling series.

A brief rebound followed in June, when Trump returned to a net positive +2, but that recovery proved short-lived. The latest survey shows support falling back to -12 in July, a 14-point swing in a single month.

The broader national trend has been more consistent. Trump's overall approval rating has remained underwater throughout 2026, moving from -16 in April to -22 in May, -21 in June and -22 again in July.

It suggests that rural voters still view Trump more favorably than the electorate as a whole.

However, the gap has narrowed sharply compared with the early months of his second term, and recent polling indicates those voters have become considerably more volatile than they were a year ago.

Rural Voters Still Rate Trump Better

The latest July survey also found that rural Americans continue to give Trump somewhat stronger marks on key policy issues than voters overall.

On the economy:

• Overall voters: 33 percent approve, 67 percent disapprove
• Rural voters: 37 percent approve, 63 percent disapprove

On inflation:

• Overall voters: 27 percent approve, 73 percent disapprove
• Rural voters: 30 percent approve, 68 percent disapprove

On immigration:

• Overall voters: 42 percent approve, 57 percent disapprove
• Rural voters: 48 percent approve, 52 percent disapprove

Those numbers show that rural voters remain somewhat more favorable toward the administration across major issues.

However, every issue tested still produced net negative ratings, including immigration, traditionally one of Trump's strongest policy areas.

Economy And Inflation Remain A Challenge

The issue breakdown underscores the extent to which economic concerns continue to weigh on the administration.

Just 33 percent of voters overall approve of Trump's handling of the economy, while approval on inflation is even lower at 27 percent.

Rural voters are somewhat less negative but still overwhelmingly dissatisfied. Only 37 percent approve of Trump's handling of the economy, while 30 percent approve of his handling of inflation.

Those findings are notable because economic concerns often carry particular weight in rural communities, where household budgets can be more sensitive to energy prices and agricultural input costs.

Iran Tensions Could Be A Factor

The latest deterioration also comes amid renewed military activity involving Iran. While the Fox News survey does not identify the cause of changing voter attitudes, the timing is notable.

Energy markets and fertilizer supply chains are particularly vulnerable to instability in the Middle East.

Farmers and rural communities tend to be more directly exposed to increases in diesel and fertilizer costs than many other groups because those inputs play a major role in agricultural production.

Concerns about prices and affordability have repeatedly appeared in polling throughout 2026. Whether the latest rural decline proves temporary or reflects deeper dissatisfaction remains unclear.

Six Midterm Races To Watch Where Rural Voters Could Matter

North Carolina Senate, Open Seat

Former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chair, are running for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis.

The race is one of the clearest Senate battlegrounds of 2026, with Democrats needing suburban strength around Raleigh and Charlotte to withstand Republican margins in rural parts of the state.

Iowa Senate, Open Seat

Republican Representative Ashley Hinson and Democratic state Representative Josh Turek are competing for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Senator Joni Ernst.

In a heavily agricultural state, farm costs, trade and rural turnout could shape whether Democrats can make a Republican-leaning seat competitive.

Ohio Special Senate Election

Appointed Republican Senator Jon Husted is facing former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in the special election for the seat previously held by Vice President JD Vance.

Brown’s path depends on limiting Democratic losses in rural and working-class areas that have shifted toward Republicans, while Husted needs those voters to hold a seat central to GOP control of the Senate.

Maine Senate

Republican Senator Susan Collins is seeking a sixth term in one of Democrats’ top Senate pickup opportunities, with former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson becoming the Democratic nominee after oyster farmer Graham Platner withdrew from the race.

Jackson, a fifth-generation logger from northern Maine, was confirmed as the party's nominee through its delegate process at Saturday’s convention, making rural northern Maine and small-town independents central to the race.

Michigan Governor, Open Seat

With Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer term-limited, Michigan has one of the cycle’s most closely watched open governor’s races.

Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican Representative John James are among the high-profile candidates in a state where rural turnout in northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula could help decide a close contest.

Wisconsin Governor, Open Seat

Wisconsin’s open governor’s race follows Democratic Governor Tony Evers’ decision not to seek another term.

Former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes is among the Democratic contenders, while Republican Representative Tom Tiffany is the GOP front-runner; in a state known for razor-thin margins, Republican strength in rural western and northern Wisconsin could offset Democratic votes in Milwaukee and Madison.

What Comes Next

One poll alone cannot determine whether a lasting shift is underway. What the Fox News trend does show is considerable volatility.

That suggests sentiment within one of his strongest electoral constituencies remains highly fluid.

For Republicans looking toward the 2026 midterms, the key question is not whether rural America remains broadly Republican. It is whether voters who have historically formed the backbone of Trump's coalition remain enthusiastic enough to deliver the kinds of margins that have powered Republican victories in recent years.

Contact Newsweek editor on this story: Edward Pearcey.

VIDEO: OOOOO OOOOO THAT SMELL, CAN YOU SMELL THAT SMELL???

 

Scientists warn of possible invasive species superspreader event due to stalling near Strait of Hormuz 25JUL26

 

Risky Routes: How Invasive Biofoulers Can Spawn On Ships In Transit

THIS is a serious risk, has been a serious risk for generations but countries have only started paying attention to it since their invasive species started showing up and damaging their own ports and waterways. Sadly, with this many ships trapped and so accumulating biofouling on their hulls once the war is over and shipping is permitted to resume it is expected the vast majority of ships will depart before being cleaned. The life in our oceans, our waterways, are in for a rough go. Problems Caused by Fouling: Slow Speed: Extra drag cuts cruising speed by 10% to over 85%, High Fuel Use: Rough surfaces force engines to burn up to 40% more fuel., Bad Weeds: Spreads foreign plants and animals to new seas. This from ABC News.....

Scientists warn of possible invasive species superspreader event due to stalling near Strait of Hormuz

Over 1,500 ships are idle in the Persian Gulf, hundreds more in Gulf of Oman.

ByJulia Jacobo

July 25, 2026, 11:22 AM

A possible ecological catastrophe could be fueled by stalled ships as conflict over the Strait of Hormuz continues to block traffic on the passageway, scientists say.

The Strait of Hormuz has been a major source of contention since the war with Iran broke out in February. In retaliation to the ongoing conflict, Iran has intermittently caused a decline of tanker traffic through the critical waterway, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman for the passage of around 20% of the world's oil supply, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

But continued closures at the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a super-spreader event of invasive species as marine organisms attach to the idle vessels and get transported to other ecosystems around the world, according to a paper published Wednesday in the journal Biological Invasions.

This is because prolonged stationary periods can lead to substantial biofouling on ships, according to the paper. Buildup can include microorganisms, algae, plants and invertebrates.

The biofilm grows on the side of the commercial ships and then gets transported around the world as the vessels travel from port to port, Mario Tamburri, a marine ecologist at the University of Maryland's Center for Environmental Science and lead author of the study, told ABC News.

Once invasive species take hold of a foreign ecosystem, it's nearly impossible to get rid of them, Tamburri said.

"We know that these invading invading organisms can cause millions of dollars' worth of damage and impact -- commercial operations like aquaculture and fisheries -- and change the environment," Tamburri said.

One example is the zebra mussels in the Great Lakes, Tamburri said. Native to the Caspian and Black Seas south of Russia and Ukraine, zebra mussels quickly spread in the Great Lakes in the 1980s and are now present in the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers, according to the National Park Service. They have also now spread to the West Coast due to human transport.

There is little to be done to remove zebra mussels once they have become established in a body of water, according to the NPS. Ecologists have been "battling" with the invasive species for 50 years, Tamburri said.

Ships are typically coated with an "anti-fouling" paint, formulated with chemicals to prevent marine animals from adhering to or growing on them, Tamburri said.

But when ships sit around for a long time, the coatings no longer work well, allowing for the possibility of "extensive growth." During the COVID-19 pandemic, many ships around the world were stalled for long periods of time, allowing for that kind of growth, Tamburri added.

Currently, the Strait of Hormuz is experiencing severe disruptions. Last week, the the U.S. resumed its naval blockade on the strait after Iran fired upon oil tankers in it.

More than 1,500 ships remain idle in the  Persian Gulf and hundreds more are anchored in the Gulf of Oman, according to the paper.

The types of organisms that live in the region's unique ecological system also exacerbate the risk of a superspreader event, Tamburri said.

The marine organisms that live within the Strait of Hormuz are especially "hardy" and "robust" because they have adapted to high salinity and warm temperatures, which increases the likelihood that they can spread and survive in other environments, Tamburri said.

"If you can survive high temperatures, high salinities, you can probably survive long ship voyages," he said.

What's currently happening in the Strait of Hormuz -- and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman by extension -- is "probably a worst-case scenario," Tamburri said, especially since the already-warm waters in the region are heating up even more during the summer months.

The combination of extensive biofouling growth, species accumulation and the sheer number, size and global reach of affected vessels has created an immense international biosecurity threat, according to the paper.

"All these marine organisms, invertebrates like barnacles and mussels and algae -- they start growing and reproducing," he said. "They start growing and reproducing, and they're sitting in this warm soup of nutrient-rich water."

The ships, which are essentially stranded in clusters, then become vessels for the biofoul to spread around the world once they leave the global shipping hub.

In addition, stressed ecosystems, such as industrial ports, are highly vulnerable to bioinvasion because disturbances allow for fast-growing opportunistic species to establish themselves, the paper states.

It usually takes extreme, costly measures to even attempt to eradicate invasive marine species, so the key is prevention and early detection, Tamburri said.

Many shipping ports have in-water cleaning services, in which divers scrape off the biofoul to remove the material. Ecologists recommend taking it a step further, and having the divers use a vacuum-like device as well to avoid putting the live organisms back into the water, only to attach to another ship.

"If at all possible, ships really need to try to clean their hulls before they leave," Tamburri said.

In the future, more regulations may be established to turn away ships that are too heavily fouled, Tamburri said. Currently, all vessels entering New Zealand waters are required to have a clean hull to reduce the risk of biofouling pests. The International Maritime Organization is also pushing to strengthen biofouling regulations.