What’s missing from Biden on Ukraine

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… A recent Quinnipiac poll showed 39 percent approved of Biden’s handling of Ukraine, with 48 percent disapproving. Another poll in the middle of March pegged those numbers at 36 percent and 52 percent, respectively. …

Biden’s approval has sagged despite Ukraine’s having fared better than many predicted — holding Kyiv and notching significant victories that now include the sinking of the Moskva — and despite Biden’s having pursued policies most Americans say they approve of.

Americans generally and overwhelmingly approve of sanctions on Russia and making them stronger, which Biden has. They strongly supported banning Russian oil, which Biden did. They overwhelmingly oppose involving the U.S. military, which Biden has assured he won’t do.

Which leads to the question of what they think is missing — and what success looks like for Biden on this issue. CONTINUED

Aaron Blake, Washington Post

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Majority of Americans recognize significance of Ketanji Brown Jackson SCOTUS appointment

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In the wake of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s 53-47 confirmation vote to be appointed to the Supreme Court, a new USA Today/Ipsos poll finds that a plurality of Americans – and two-thirds of those who report following the hearing – support Jackson’s confirmation. More, however, recognize the significance of now having four women on the bench at the same time, and two African American justices, for the first time – along with the significance of the court’s 6-3 conservative majority. CONTINUED

Ipsos

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It’s Still Trump’s Party

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The month of May is a consequential one for former President Donald Trump. In the twelve states that hold primaries that month, the former president has endorsed Republican candidates for Governor, Senate, and/or House in all but two. …

At the end of the month, most of the attention will be focused on Trump’s record of success in these intra-party contests. Much will be made about his continuing, or waning, influence on the party based on those results.

But just looking at the scorecard misses the bigger picture. These primary fights aren’t between the ‘pro-Trump’ wing versus the ‘anti-or Never-Trump’ wing of the GOP. Candidates are not debating whether the GOP should continue to associate with or make a clean break from Trumpism. GOP candidates are not debating the future identity or ideology in the post-Trump era. Instead, these primary contests have only helped to illuminate that in both style and substance, the current GOP remains Trump’s party. CONTINUED

Amy Walter, Cook Political Report with Amy Walter

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California: Voters offer a wide range of issues they’d like the state to address

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Voters offer a wide array of responses when presented with a list of fifteen issues facing California and asked which one or two they consider most important for the state to address. Topping the list are housing affordability, mentioned by 31%, homelessness (29%), crime and public safety (23%) and gas prices (21%). CONTINUED

Mark DiCamillo, Berkeley IGS Poll

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No Public Consensus on How Schools Should Discuss Sexuality and Racism

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Americans are largely divided about the role of public schools in teaching children about issues related to sexuality and racism, according to a new poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

While several state and local governments consider bills that prohibit teaching about sexual identity, 23% of Americans share that view and think their local public school is focusing too much on issues related to sex and sexuality. But about a third of the public (31%) feels it is focusing too little on such issues.

When it comes to discussion of racism in the United States, 37% feel their public schools are focusing on it the right amount. Again, the rest of the public is split with 27% who feel their local schools are focusing on racism too much and 34% who feel there is not enough focus. CONTINUED

AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research

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Californians hold mixed views of the job Biden is doing as President

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California voters offer a mixed assessment of the job Joe Biden is doing as President. The latest Berkeley IGS Poll finds 50% of the state’s voters approving of the President’s performance, while 46% disapprove. This represents a slight improvement in voter appraisals from two months ago when 47% approved and 48% disapproved. Yet, this assessment is still much less positive than the ratings Californians gave Biden during his first year in office. CONTINUED

Mark DiCamillo, Berkeley IGS Poll

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