DESPITE SUPPORT FOR TRUMP'S CUBA POLICIES PRESIDENT'S JOB APPROVAL DROPS IN FLORIDA

MEDIA CONTACT: Jim Hellegaard
561-319-2233, jhellegaard@fau.edu

BOCA RATON, Fla. (June 20, 2017) – Floridians support former U.S. President Barack Obama’s decision to normalize relations with Cuba over U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent decision to restrict those relations, according to a statewide survey by the Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative (FAU BEPI). 

Overall, 47 percent of Floridians support Obama’s Cuba policy, while Trump’s policy changes announced on June 16 in Miami garnered 34 percent support. However, Trump’s policy changes did receive a plurality of support. The Trump administration’s plans to prohibit commerce with Cuban businesses owned by the military and intelligence services won support form 43 percent of respondents, while 25 percent opposed and 33 percent said they were not sure.

Trump’s approval rating among respondents dropped one percentage point from 36 percent in BEPI’s March poll to 35 percent in this poll, which was conducted June 16-18, immediately following Trump’s announcement. His disapproval rating jumped six points from 38 percent in March to 44 percent in this latest poll.  Not surprisingly, Trump’s approval rating among Republicans stands at 78 percent, while his disapproval was 79 percent among Democrats.

Trump’s new restriction to only allow Americans to visit Cuba as part of a tour group received 44 percent support, while 32 percent opposed and 24 percent were not sure. His decision to retain an American embassy in Havana was most popular, with 61 percent supporting, 13 percent opposing and 15 percent not sure.

While showing support for Trump’s announced changes, Floridians were pessimistic the new policies will improve life for the Cuban people. Only 21 percent said the new policies would make life better for Cubans, while 36 percent said they would make life worse, and 43 percent expect no difference.  

“Despite support from Floridians for President Trump’s Cuba policies, they are pessimistic that they will improve the life of the Cuban people,” said Monica Escaleras, Ph.D., director of the BEPI. “Overall, people are more supportive of President Obama’s Cuba policy, while President Trump’s approval rating in the state continues to drop.”

The online survey, which polled 500 Florida residents, was administered through Survey Sampling International (SSI). The survey has a margin of error of +/- 4.3 percentage points. Responses for the entire sample were weighted to reflect the statewide distribution of the Florida population by gender, race/ethnicity, region, education and age according to latest American Community Survey data. The polling results and full cross-tabulations are available at www.business.fau.edu/bepi.

- FAU -

About FAU BEPI:
The Florida Atlantic University Business and Economic Polling Initiative conducts surveys on business, economic, political and social issues with a focus on Hispanic attitudes and opinions at regional, state and national levels via planned monthly national surveys. The initiative subscribes to the American Association of Public Opinion Research and is a resource for public and private organizations, academic research and media outlets. In addition, the initiative is designed to contribute to the educational mission of the University by providing students with valuable opportunities to enhance their educational experience by designing and carrying out public opinion research.

About Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of critical areas that form the basis of its strategic plan: Healthy aging, biotech, coastal and marine issues, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, informatics, lifespan and the environment. These areas provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU’s existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.