Sustained negative approval signals coalition stress

Updated: 2026.01.14 14D ago 4 sources
When a leader’s net approval stays below a meaningful negative threshold for multiple consecutive weeks (here seven weeks at ≤ -15), it is more than normal volatility: it indicates cross‑cutting erosion in core governing coalitions and creates durable openings for opposition messaging and intra‑party pressure. Tracking 'streak length' above simple weekly snapshots provides an early warning metric for impending legislative vulnerability, fundraising shortfalls, and shifts in elite support. — A simple, quantitative 'streak metric' helps campaign strategists, congressional actors, and reporters anticipate when a president’s standing is entering a phase that materially changes bargaining power and electoral risk.

Sources

Actually, sometimes polls underestimate Democrats
Eli McKown-Dawson 2026.01.14 56% relevant
Silver is preparing averages and forecasting inputs for 2026 and emphasizes how poll error patterns affect leader/coalition readings; the article connects polling accuracy to how we should interpret approval streaks and coalition stability.
Approval of Donald Trump may have stabilized for now
2026.01.13 92% relevant
The YouGov/Economist finding that Trump’s net job approval moved from about -18 to -14 and has stabilized directly matches the earlier idea that prolonged negative approval (and its streaks) is an early indicator of coalition erosion or resilience; the article provides the empirical weekly numbers and subgroup splits (age, race) that such a streak metric would use.
Americans' economic expectations of better things hit a low while anticipation of more of the same peaks
2025.12.30 68% relevant
The poll shows falling expectations among Independents and Republicans since Trump took office (e.g., Republican optimism falling from 67% to 40%), which maps onto the idea that sustained negative economic sentiment can presage coalition strain and reduced governing leverage; these party‑breakdown shifts are the kind of early warning the idea recommends tracking.
Donald Trump's streak of negative job approval numbers
2025.12.02 100% relevant
Economist/YouGov poll showing seven straight weeks of Trump net approval ≤ -15 (this week at -19) — the article labels that run 'notable' and compares it to prior presidential stretches.
← Back to All Ideas