J.T. YOUNG: Trump’s Below the Surface Strength.

Generally seen as underwater, below the surface things are very different for Trump. President Trump elicits strong reactions from two-thirds of America’s electorate. Yet among the one-third in neither camp, the president is quietly doing quite well.

Rasmussen’s 4/16 daily tracking poll, the same polling closest to 2016’s popular vote, gave interesting insight into President Trump’s support. Overall, Trump’s job approval rating was 51 percent (48 percent disapproval). Among the hardcore, his strong support was 35 percent; his strong disapproval: 39 percent.

On the surface, these results are unexciting… until compared to 2016’s actual results. In 2016, Trump received just 46.1 percent of the popular vote. Rasmussen’s 4/16 results put him five percent ahead of what won him the presidency.

Also, Rasmussen’s 4/16 hardcore results closely mimic 2016 exit polling.

That’s an interesting comparison, and one you don’t get from the screaming “DOOM!” headlines. The question for the next few months however is whether that increased support from the middle third is enough to hold the House without Trump on the ballot.

Stay tuned…