Despite political turmoil surrounding the U.S. conflict with Iran and rising gas prices, Democrats continue to face a deeper electability problem that polling suggests they have yet to resolve, Zoose Political Index founder Patrick Allocco told Newsmax on Monday.
Allocco argued on "Finnerty" that recent polling tied to the conflict is being misinterpreted and instead reflects broader attitudes toward President Donald Trump.
"Let's flip the script," Allocco said.
"Look at the 40% support and the 84% of Republicans that are locked in the 40%.
"Sounds bad, right? In reality, those numbers are mirroring the president's approval rating among two liberal pollsters this week," Allocco said.
He pointed to surveys from CBS and Reuters showing Trump at roughly 40% approval, adding, "What you're really seeing here isn't a referendum on the war.
"It's a reflection of how the two Americas feel about Donald Trump," he said.
A recent CBS/YouGov poll found support for the Iran conflict at 40%, down from 44% when the conflict began Feb. 27, while 57% of Americans now say the conflict is not going well.
But Allocco dismissed the framing of such surveys, arguing they can skew negative depending on how questions are asked.
"This is a framed poll, not a clean one," he said.
"Ask if it's a war of choice, you'll get a negative answer," he continued.
By contrast, Allocco said his own polling found support for using force "roughly between 39% and 45% across our state groups," which he emphasized is "right in line with the president's approval."
Although the conflict and economic concerns dominate headlines, Allocco said Democrats remain in a weak position politically, citing deeply negative approval ratings.
"It tells you Democrats still haven't solved their core problem," he said.
"Voters may be uneasy about the economy, frustrated with the White House, but they still don't trust Democrats enough to hand them the keys," Allocco said.
He added that even modest leads in generic ballot polling should alarm Democrats.
"If Reuters has the generic ballot at only D+3, that's a warning sign for them because at this stage they should be running up double digits if they plan on flipping the House," Allocco said.
The weak standing aligns with prior polling.
A Quinnipiac University survey released in December found congressional Democrats with approval ratings well underwater, including particularly poor marks among independents, reinforcing concerns about their national standing.
Allocco also pushed back on recession fears tied to the Iran conflict and rising energy prices.
"That's not economic reality, that's reaction," he said.
"You don't go from stable fundamentals to recession in three weeks.
"What you do get is higher gas prices, market swings and wall-to-wall media coverage, and that drives perception," Allocco said.
Taken together, Allocco said the data shows a polarized electorate anchored more to views of Trump than shifting events overseas, leaving Democrats struggling to convert discontent into political gains.
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