Trump's first-term approval rate in Tennessee is worse than Obama's

Tennessee is a Republican stronghold, a fact that was demonstrated by President Trump's 61 percent victory in the state last November. But high opinion of the president in the Volunteer State is fading — and it's fading fast, a Middle Tennessee State University poll discovered Wednesday. Today, Trump is approved of by just 51 percent of Tennessee voters.

"New presidents often enjoy a so-called honeymoon shortly after winning their first election, when unifying inaugural addresses and a public that hopes for the best contribute to even greater support and job approval than their winning vote totals," explained the associate director of the poll, Jason Reineke. He dubbed Trump's plunge a "hangover" for voters, with Trump's "job approval at the outset of his presidency ... actually worse than his winning vote total in the state."

Even former President Barack Obama had a higher favorability rating in Tennessee during his first term, when 53 percent of the state's voters approved of his job in office.

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The conclusions come from a survey of 600 registered voters between Feb. 12-16. The survey has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.