AJC poll: Trump’s support sinks in Georgia as economic fears rise

Though Trump’s standing is low for a president this early in a term, it echoes some of his ratings in previous AJC polls — a polarizing perception that didn’t stop him from carrying Georgia in 2016 and 2024 or sweeping battleground states last year.

Still, the poll spotlights deep anxieties about Trump’s leadership and agenda in a battleground state that helped the Republican sweep to a comeback victory, particularly involving his pledge to fight inflation and boost the economy — the top concern for many Georgians.

About half of Georgians say they expect the economy to worsen over the next year and say they’re against his pursuit of widespread tariffs. And 55% of voters disapprove of how he’s managed the economy.

‘Worse than I thought’

The skepticism extends to other key parts of Trump’s platform. Roughly 52% of voters oppose his administration’s immigration policies, which center on calls for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants and a pledge to end birthright citizenship. Immigration has long been one of Trump’s strongest issues as worry has grown over security at the southern border.

But the president has faced a barrage of negative headlines over his administration’s deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members to a prison in El Salvador, including one man officials have said was mistakenly removed.

Voters are also divided over Trump’s plans to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs. About 39% support the Republican’s plans to dismantle DEI initiatives — including 10% of Black voters — while 57% disapprove.

In all, roughly 55% of Georgians worry the nation is headed down the “wrong track” with Trump back in office. That could signal an end to his postelection honeymoon period in Georgia, long-considered a “must win” for Republicans.

“I’m sad to say, we’re in a really tough place. It’s a tumultuous time,” said Adam Zarett, an Atlanta medical logistics executive who didn’t vote for Trump. “It’s just gotten worse than I thought. Maybe I should have read the writing on the wall more, but the swiftness and scope of his changes surprised me.”

The findings mark a sharp erosion from just three months ago, when 56% of voters said they expected the economy to improve under Trump’s leadership and a majority described themselves as “excited” or “optimistic” about his return.

Now, voters have a noticeably more pessimistic outlook — especially women. In January, 54% of women disapproved of how Trump handled the transition. At the 100-day mark, nearly two-thirds now give him poor reviews.

While his approval has hardly budged, his negative rating jumped by 10 percentage points to 55%. His support has also slipped with younger voters, independents and even fellow Republicans.

“His record so far is complicated. Some of it is good. Some of it is bad,” said Clint Myers, an elementary school teacher in Walton County who said he “begrudgingly” voted for Trump. “I’m still glad I backed him. I’m not second-guessing him. But I’m not a fan of the man.”

‘Putting America first’

Even as his support among independent voters plummets — his approval rating among middle-of-the-road voters is at just 36% — Trump’s loyal Republican base is still solidly behind him. About 85% of Republicans and 90% of those who voted for him in November give him positive reviews.

“He’s doing great, despite facing a lot of obstacles in front of him,” said Jesse Bennett, a Valdosta engineer. “He’s stopped the flood of illegal immigration. He’s trying his best to stop World War III before it gets started. And he’s putting America first.”

But there are warning signs in his base. An overwhelming majority (82%) of voters say he should obey federal court orders, even if he disagrees with them or believes they are illegal. That includes nearly two-thirds of Trump voters.

There is similar frustration over his foreign policy moves. About 56% of Georgia voters oppose Trump’s efforts to distance the United States from the NATO security alliance, part of a broader strategy to reshape the global order.

“He’s alienating our foreign allies,” said Daniel Austin, a security contractor in Warner Robins who didn’t vote for Trump in November. “He thinks he’s some master negotiator, but instead, in 100 days, he’s managed to ensure in the next 100 years the U.S. won’t even be third place.”

The poll, conducted by the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs, was conducted between April 15-24 and involved 1,000 registered Georgia voters. The margin of error is 3.1 percentage points.

It’s complicated

The economic uncertainty fueled by a series of whiplash tariff decisions that roiled the markets is also quickly reshaping household budgets across Georgia.

Nearly two-thirds of voters say they plan to cut back spending because of tariffs, including 28% who anticipate taking “major” steps to tighten their wallets. Just 4% say they expect to increase their spending.

Myers, the Walton County schoolteacher, said he sympathizes with Trump’s push for tariffs. But he’s already feeling the financial squeeze from rising prices. His family has already canceled several subscriptions, scrapped vacation plans for this summer and is searching for other ways to trim the budget.

“I can see where he’s coming from with tariffs. He’s trying to make things more even and fair,” said Myers. “But at the micro level, I’m really concerned.”

There are also concerns about Trump’s government-shrinking, cost-cutting plans led by Elon Musk, the billionaire who recently said he will pull back from his presidential assignment atop the Department of Government Efficiency to slash the federal bureaucracy.

Most Georgians (56%) disapprove of Musk’s prominent role in the Trump administration, including more than 60% of independents and about one in seven Republicans. Just 3% of Democrats, whose party leaders have increasingly targeted Musk, approve of his role.

A slim majority of voters also oppose DOGE’s efforts to dismantle federal agencies and fire tens of thousands of federal employees. Of the 44% who support the moves, about 85% are Republicans.

Some of those layoffs have played out locally at the Atlanta-based U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has become a symbol to Trump critics of his overreach.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. While many Georgians are pessimistic about the nation’s future, attitudes have markedly improved since the depths of the coronavirus pandemic. In July 2022, nearly 80% of Georgians said the U.S. was headed down the “wrong track.”

And most Georgians have an upbeat view of the state’s future. About 50% say Georgia is headed in the right direction, including 80% of Republicans, a majority of independents and nearly 20% of Democrats.

But faith in political institutions remains shaky. Only 29% of Georgians have a favorable view of Congress. Just 42% view the Republican Party positively, and only 35% hold a favorable impression of the Democratic Party.

Even among liberals, disillusionment runs high: About one-third say they have an unfavorable view of their own party.

“They’re weak little pacifists,” said Alec Angell, an Uber driver from Duluth who voted against Trump. “They won’t do anything.”