Immigration crackdown souring Orange County's view of Trump, poll finds
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In a troubling sign for Republicans in the upcoming midterms, Orange County voters are souring on President Trump and particularly his crackdown on illegal immigration.A new poll released by UC Irvine’s School of Social Ecology shows support for Trump among Orange County voters is down to 35%, with 65% of participants saying they do not approve of the president’s performance.
His hard-line immigration policies have proven to be particularly unpopular, with six in 10 residents disapproving of his actions, according to the survey, a stark contrast to the county’s historical stance on the issue.And, experts say, the poll results in this county — largely seen as a bellwether in recent years — might not bode well for Republicans who are already facing an uphill battle heading into the November midterms where voters, in general, tend to favor the party that’s not in power.
L.A.Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez wants to allow noncitizens to vote in city and school board elections.
The proposal isn’t as radical as it seems.While Democrats have carried the county in recent presidential elections, Orange County remains a decidedly purple area and home to some of the most contested congressional districts in recent years.Those contests were expected to be less competitive this year after California voters approved Democratic-backed redistricting that was expected to turn several seats blue.“Trump is taking action and Republicans in Congress aren’t standing up to it,” said Matt Lesenyie, an assistant professor of political science at Cal State Long Beach.
“I think it’s actually a lot easier to say Republicans are clearly in control of the entirety of Congress and the presidency, and so if I don’t like something the party is to blame.” The way the administration has carried out immigration enforcement and deportations is deeply unpopular among Orange County vote...