Large shares of women, seniors and independents now say they’re less likely to trust President Trump for accurate information about COVID-19 since he caught it himself, according to the latest installment of the Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index.
The big picture: Week 28 of our national survey has most Americans rejecting ideas that Trump has floated around hydroxychloriquine as a virus treatment, how herd immunity works or any imminent availability of a vaccine.
- Eight in 10 fear local cases will rise and force new lockdowns and business closures.
- Three-fourths of respondents say attending campaign rallies is risky.
- That’s true for majorities of Republicans (54%) as well as independents (79%) and especially Democrats (93%) — and it suggests that Joe Biden’s decision to scrap large events to protect the public and himself doesn’t carry much political risk.
Why it matters: Trump can ill afford to lose more women, seniors or independents with two weeks until the end of the election, according to national and battleground state polls.
- The new findings reflect how the science around coronavirus is unifying Democrats but a wedge for Republicans — and how Trump’s own messaging has painted him into a corner where he must rely more and more on his base to pick up the slack for others he’s alienated.