This Washington Post-Schar School poll was conducted June 27-July 2, 2018 among a
sample of 1,473 adults interviewed through the AmeriSpeak Panel, the probability-based
panel of NORC at the University of Chicago. Interviews were conducted online and by
landline and cellular phones. The survey oversampled adults in competitive
congressional districts totaling 865 interviews, in addition to 608 interviews with
adults in non-battleground districts. The margin of error for overall results is plus
or minus five percentage points. The national sample weighted adults in battleground
districts to their actual share of the U.S. adult population.
(See full methodological details and margins of error for subgroups at end)
*= less than 0.5 percent RV=Registered voters
1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as
president? Do you feel that way strongly, or somewhat?

7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

-------- Approve -------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
43
19
24
42
21
21
43
19
25

------- Disapprove -----NET
Somewhat
Strongly
55
18
37
58
16
42
55
18
37

No
opinion
2
1
2

2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Trump is handling each issue? Do you feel
that way strongly, or somewhat?
7/2/18 – Summary table

a. The economy
Battleground
Non-battleround

-------- Approve -------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
50
22
28
51
27
24
50
21
29

------- Disapprove -----NET
Somewhat
Strongly
48
20
28
48
19
29
48
21
27

No
opinion
2
1
2

b. Immigration
Battleground
Non-battleround

39
41
39

19
22
18

20
19
20

59
58
59

15
13
16

44
46
44

2
*
2

c. International
trade
Battleground
Non-battleround

41
40
41

16
15
16

25
25
25

57
59
57

23
20
23

35
39
34

2
1
2

3. (ASK IF REGISTERED VOTER) How important is voting in this year’s midterm elections
for Congress?
7/2/18 RV
Battleground
Non-battleground

Extremely
46
52
46

Very
29
27
29

Somewhat
18
15
18

Not too
3
4
3

Not at all
3
1
3

No opinion
*
0
*

 4. (ASK IF REGISTERED VOTER) If the election for the U.S. House of Representatives
were being held today, who would you vote for in your congressional district? Which
candidate would you lean toward?
NET LEANED VOTE PREFERENCE – REG VOTERS

7/2/18 RV
Battleground
Non-battleground

Democratic
candidate
47
49
46

Republican
candidate
37
37
36

No
opinion
17
13
17

5. (ASK IF REGISTERED VOTER) Which of these is the single most important issue in your
vote for Congress this year?
The economy and jobs
Health care
Immigration
Gun laws
Taxes
International trade
Something else
No opinion

7/2/18 RV
24
20
19
14
8
4
10
*

Battleground
28
21
22
9
5
5
9
1

Non-battleground
23
20
19
14
9
4
11
*

6. (ASK IF REGISTERED VOTER) If you vote in the congressional elections in 2018, will
it be to...?

7/2/18 RV
Battleground
Non-battleground

Show support
for Trump
25
28
24

Show opposition
to Trump
37
34
38

Trump will NOT
be part of decision
36
37
36

No
opinion
2
1
2

7. (ASK IF REGISTERED VOTER) In general, do you think Republicans running for Congress
are...?

7/2/18 RV
Battleground
Non-battleground

Too supportive
of Trump
51
48
52

Too critical
of Trump
21
18
22

Striking the
right balance
25
31
25

No
opinion
2
2
2

8. (ASK IF REGISTERED VOTER) In general, do you think Democrats running for Congress
are...?

7/2/18 RV
Battleground
Non-battleground

Too supportive
of Trump
7
6
7

Too critical
of Trump
48
55
46

Striking the
right balance
44
38
45

No
opinion
1
1
2

9. How would you describe the state of the nation's economy these days?

7/2/18
Battleground

------ Positive -----NET
Excellent
Good
54
6
49
58
9
49

------- Negative ------NET
Not so good
Poor
45
38
8
42
34
8

No
opinion
*
0

2

 Non-battleground

54

5

48

46

38

7

1

10. Regardless of what you think of the President personally, do you think Trump is
doing more to (protect) or (damage) important American values?
7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Protect
37
35
37

Damage
48
50
48

Neither
14
13
14

No opinion
*
1
*

11. In general, how much of the time do you think Trump tells the truth?

7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

- All/Most of the time -All of
Most of
NET
the time
the time
32
4
28
33
5
28
32
4
28

- Only some/Hardly ever -Only some
Hardly
NET
of the time
ever
68
31
36
66
32
35
68
31
37

No
opinion
*
*
*

On another subject...
12. Who do you trust to do a better job handling each of the following – (Trump) or
(Democrats in Congress)?
7/2/18 – Summary table

a. Immigration overall
Battleground
Non-battleground

Trump
30
33
29

Democrats in
Congress
38
36
39

Both
equally
7
7
7

Neither
24
22
24

No
opin.
1
1
1

b. Border security
Battleground
Non-battleground

37
42
36

27
25
27

11
10
11

23
22
24

2
1
2

c. Undocumented immigrants
currently living in the U.S.
Battleground
Non-battleground

32
33
31

34
34
34

9
8
9

25
24
25

1
1
1

d. Ensuring immigration doesn’t
hurt American workers
Battleground
Non-battleground

32
37
31

27
21
27

14
13
15

26
27
26

1
2
1

e. Ensuring the U.S. attracts the
best and brightest immigrants
Battleground
Non-battleground

23
25
23

27
25
27

12
11
12

36
37
36

2
1
2

13. Do you think the United States is or is not doing enough to keep illegal
immigrants from coming into this country? Do you feel that strongly, or somewhat?

7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

----- Doing enough -----NET
Strongly
Somewhat
51
19
31
46
15
31
51
20
31

--- Not doing enough ---NET
Somewhat
Strongly
46
24
22
52
28
24
45
24
22

No
opinion
3
1
4

3

 Trend for comparison:
On another subject, do you think the United States is or is not doing enough to keep
illegal immigrants from coming into this country? Do you feel that way strongly or
somewhat?
----- Doing enough -----NET
Strongly
Somewhat
6/6/10*
23
10
13
4/24/09
23
11
12
4/15/07
17
8
10
5/14/06
20
9
11
4/9/06
21
7
14
12/18/05
20
8
12
8/28/05
19
11
9
1/16/05
20
9
11
*Washington Post-ABC News

--- Not doing enough ---NET
Somewhat
Strongly
75
17
58
74
15
59
81
18
63
77
19
58
75
19
56
79
20
59
80
18
62
77
18
58

No
opinion
2
3
2
4
4
2
1
4

14. Some people have called the United States “a nation of immigrants” - do you think
welcoming immigrants has been (mainly good) or (mainly bad) for the country, or has
this been about equally good and bad?

7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Mainly good
48
48
48

Mainly bad
11
14
10

Equally good
and bad
40
38
40

No
opinion
1
*
1

15. These days, do you think the U.S. has gone too far in welcoming immigrants, not
gone far enough, or has it struck the right balance?

7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Gone
too far
33
40
32

Not gone
far enough
34
29
35

Struck the
right balance
30
29
30

No
opinion
3
2
3

16. Would you support or oppose each of the following?
a. A path to legal status for undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. who pass a
background check
7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Support
81
82
81

Oppose
17
18
17

No opinion
2
*
2

b. Building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico
7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Support
42
40
42

Oppose
55
59
55

No opinion
3
1
3

c. Requiring employers to verify that all new hires are living in the U.S. legally
7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Support
78
83
77

Oppose
20
16
20

No opinion
3
1
3

4

 d. Increasing funding for border security programs
7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Support
65
71
65

Oppose
32
28
32

No opinion
3
1
3

e. Significantly reducing legal immigration by limiting the ability of U.S. citizens
to bring parents and siblings here
7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Support
36
35
37

Oppose
61
64
60

No opinion
3
1
3

17. Do you support or oppose a program that allows undocumented immigrants to stay in
the United States if they arrived here as a child, completed high school or military
service and have not been convicted of a serious crime?
7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Support
84
86
83

Oppose
16
13
16

No opinion
1
1
1

18. Do you support or oppose a recent Trump administration policy that separated
immigrant children from their parents when the parent was accused of entering the U.S.
illegally across the southern border? Do you feel that way strongly, or somewhat?

7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

-------- Support -------NET
Strongly
Somewhat
29
11
18
31
12
19
28
10
18

------- Oppose -----NET
Somewhat
Strongly
69
16
53
68
15
54
69
16
53

No
opinion
2
1
2

19. Do you support or oppose Trump’s decision to reverse the policy of separating
immigrant children from parents when they are accused of entering the U.S. illegally
across the southern border?
7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Support
75
77
75

Oppose
22
22
22

No opinion
3
1
3

20. Who do you think is more to blame for immigrant children being separated from
their parents?

7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

The Trump
administration
37
33
38

Migrants trying to
enter the U.S. illegally
35
38
35

Both
equally
25
27
24

No
opinion
3
1
3

21. How bothered were you, if at all, by photos and stories about children being
separated from their parents and held in detention centers?
---- Bothered ---NET
A lot
Some

------ Not bothered -----–NET
Not much
Not at all

No
opinion

5

 7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

74
72
75

48
47
49

26
25
26

24
27
23

13
14
13

10
13
10

2
1
2

22. Going forward, what would you prefer to happen to families accused of crossing the
border illegally until their immigration case is resolved?

7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Hold families
together in a
detention facility
58
60
58

Temporarily release
families until a
deportation court hearing
39
38
39

No
opinion
3
1
3

23. What do you think is the biggest reason most people enter the U.S. illegally
through the southern border?

7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Fleeing danger
in their
home country
39
40
38

Looking for
better-paying
jobs
40
39
40

As part of
the drug trade
or gangs
6
8
5

Other
reasons
13
12
14

No
opinion
2
*
2

On a different issue…
24. Do you approve or disapprove of the way U.S. Justice Department special counsel
Robert Mueller is handling the investigation into possible ties between Trump’s
presidential campaign and the Russian government?
7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Approve
49
50
49

Disapprove
45
46
45

No opinion
5
4
6

Compare to:
A special counsel at the U.S. Justice Department, Robert Mueller, has been
investigating possible ties between Trump’s presidential campaign and the Russian
government. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mueller is handling this
investigation?
Approve
Disapprove
1/18/18*
50
31
11/1/17
58
28
*Washington Post-ABC News

No opinion
19
14

25. Do you think the question of whether Trump’s campaign colluded with Russian
efforts to influence the 2016 election is a (serious issue), or is it (more of a
distraction)?
7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Serious issue
48
49
48

More of a distraction
48
50
48

No opinion
3
1
3

26. Do you think the United States’ long-term trading partners have mainly (taken
advantage of) the U.S. or (traded fairly with) the U.S.?

6

 7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Taken advantage
of the U.S.
52
56
51

Traded fairly
with the U.S.
43
41
44

No
opinion
5
2
5

27. Trump announced plans to impose taxes known as tariffs on some goods that are
imported to the United States. China has responded by announcing tariffs on some U.S.
goods sold in China. Do you think this situation will be good or bad for each of the
following?
a. Jobs in the United States
Battleground
Non-battleground
b. The cost of products
in the United States
Battleground
Non-battleground

Good
39
42
39

Bad
56
57
56

No opinion
4
1
5

22
20
22

74
78
74

4
1
4

28. Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as:
7/2/18
Battleground
Non-battleground

Democrat
33
31
33

Republican
25
26
25

Independent
32
36
32

Other
7
7
7

No opinion
3
1
3

*** END ***
METHODOLOGICAL DETAILS
This poll was jointly sponsored and funded by The Washington Post and the Schar School
for Policy and Government at George Mason University. The web and phone poll is a
random sample of adults in the United States, with interviews in English and Spanish.
This questionnaire was administered with the exact questions in the exact order as
they appear in this document. Demographic questions are not shown. If a question was
asked of a reduced base of the sample, a parenthetical preceding the question
identifies the group asked. Phrases surrounded by parentheticals within questions
indicate clauses that were randomly rotated for respondents.
Respondents were drawn from a stratified random sample of the AmeriSpeak Panel, the
probability-based panel of NORC at the University of Chicago. The sample was
stratified by age, race/ethnicity, gender and education. The survey oversampled
panelists who live in a congressional district classified by the Cook Political Report
as “tossup” or “leaning” toward one party as of June 20; respondents in such districts
were weighted back to their actual share of the U.S. adult population. A total of
1,473 interviews were completed, including 1,274 self-adiministered over the internet
and 199 administered by a professional interviewer over landline or cellular phone.
The AmeriSpeak panel was built through a nationally representative probability sample
of U.S. households using mail, telephone and face-to-face recruitment methods. Panel
members are permitted to complete surveys using an internet device or by phone.
Additional technical details about AmeriSpeak survey methodology is available at
www.norc.org.

7

 This survey uses statistical weighting procedures to account for features of the
AmeriSpeak panel sample design, efforts to recruit initially nonresponding households
and to match population demographic benchmarks according to the Census Bureau’s
Current Population Survey. The Post-Schar School sample was weighted to adjust for
nonresponse, as well as to match population benchmarks for age, gender, education,
race/ethnicity and Census Division according to the Current Population Survey.
All error margins have been adjusted to account for the survey’s design effect, which
is 3.5 for the overall survey; 1.9 for the battleground district sample and 1.9 for
the non-battleground district. The design effect is a factor representing the survey’s
deviation from a simple random sample, and takes into account decreases in precision
due to sample design and weighting procedures. Surveys that do not incorporate a
design effect overstate their precision.

Total U.S. sample
Battleground districts
Non-battleground districts

--- Sample size --Adults
Reg voters
1,473
1,302
865
774
608
528

-- Error margin --Adults
Reg voters
5
5 +/- points
4.5
5
5.5
6

The Washington Post is a charter member of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, which
recognizes organizations that disclose key methodological details on the research they
produce.
Contact polls@washpost.com for further information about how The Washington Post
conducts polls.

8