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Utahns approve of how Trump is handling the economy, but disapprove of his immigration and foreign policy

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Utahns like the way GOP President Donald Trump is handling the economy, a recent survey shows, but they don’t like how he’s dealing with immigration and foreign policy.

UtahPolicy.com asked Dan Jones & Associates to survey adult voters on those three issues and how the president is doing on them.

The results are mixed.

But it’s safe to say that Republicans, men, conservatives and “very active” members of the LDS faith approve of what the president is doing in these areas, but most other Utahns don’t.

Here are some of the overall numbers:

  • 61 percent of Utahns “strongly” or “somewhat” approve of the job Trump is doing on the economy – which continues to grow in the longest-lasting recovering economy in recent history.
  • 35 percent disapprove of Trump’s economic work, while 3 percent don’t know.
  • Utahns disapprove of Trump’s work in immigration, 52-47 percent, with 2 percent don’t know.
  • And they disapprove of the president’s foreign policy work, 52-45 percent, with 4 percent don’t know.

DJA has seen in his polling for UtahPolicy that when it comes to Trump, Utah women are much more critical than are men.

And that trend stays true on these three issues, as well. Some of the gender differences are statistically remarkable:

  • 69 percent of men like Trump’s economy, only 55 percent of women do – a 14 percentile difference.
  • 57 percent of men approve of his immigration work, but 59 percent of women DISAPPROVE.
  • Even more so in foreign policy – 53 percent of men approve of Trump’s actions, but 58 percent of women DISAPPROVE of the president’s foreign policies. Only 37 percent of women like Trump’s foreign affairs – or a 16 percentage-point difference.

Further evidence that many Utah women have a real problem with Trump.

There is also a difference on these three issues between young adults and folks their parents’ age:

  • Among those 18-24 years old, by 49-47 percent they disapprove of Trump’s economics; by 64-36 the don’t like his stands on immigration; and by 60-40 they don’t like his foreign policies.
  • But those 55-64 years old see Trump very differently. That age group approves of Trump’s economics, 60-35 percent.
  • Like the young adults, the older group doesn’t like his policies on immigration and foreign affairs, but by much closer majorities: 52-48 percent disliking immigration and Trump, 57-41disliking his foreign policies.

As one would expect, what Trump does is viewed in very partisan terms, Republicans like him, Democrats hate him, and political independents are somewhere in the middle depending on the issue:

  • Republicans approve of Trump economics, 86-12 percent; approve of his immigration stands, 71-27 percent; and approve of his foreign policies, 67-29 percent.
  • Democrats disapprove of Trump’s economic policies, 80-17 percent; disapprove of immigration, 96-5 percent; and disapprove of his foreign affairs, 94-5 percent.
  • Utah independents don’t like Trump’s policies in these three areas either, but not as fervently as Democrats:
  • Independents don’t like Trump’s economics, 53-43 percent.
  • Don’t like his immigration actions, 67-32 percent.
  • And don’t like his foreign policies, 68-28 percent.

While it is clear most Utah Republicans like their president, it is noteworthy that 27 percent – or one fourth — don’t approve of his immigration actions, and 29 percent — approaching one-third — don’t like his actions on foreign affairs.

Those who told DJA they are “very active” in their faith – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – generally like the president:

Good Mormons like his economic policies, 75-22 percent; like his immigration actions, 58-40 percent; and like his foreign affairs, 55-40 percent.

Finally, Trump does very well among conservatives on the three issues, while moderates don’t like him on these subjects and liberals really don’t like him.

UtahPolicy has been watching how U.S. House 4th District voters respond in our polls, since that district is now represented by Democrat Ben McAdams.

In the 4th District:

  • Voters approve of Trump’s economics, 63-35 percent.
  • But they DISAPPROVE of his immigration policies, 55-45 percent; and they DISAPPROVE of his foreign affairs actions, 56-40 percent.

DJA polled 822 adult voters from Jan. 3-15 statewide. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percent.

In the 4th District DJA surveyed 203 adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 6.9 percent.