KSTP/SurveyUSA: Most Minnesotans disapprove of Trump’s handling of race relations
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The vast majority of Minnesotans disapprove of the way President Donald Trump has handled race relations in the United States, the latest KSTP/SurveyUSA poll shows.
The survey, which gathered responses from 750 Minnesota adults from Sept. 4-7, highlights the state of attitudes toward race following a summer dominated by protests demanding justice for Black victims of police violence. Minneapolis became the epicenter of the Black Lives Matter in late May following George Floyd’s death while in police custody.
According to the survey, just 32% of Minnesotans approve of Trump’s handling of race relations; 59% said they disapprove, with 46% saying they strongly disapprove.
President Trump has repeatedly declared himself a "law and order" president and has threatened to crack down on civil unrest in American cities. The Trump administration has been criticized for deploying federal law enforcement agents to break up protests in Washington, D.C., and Portland, Oregon.
"This could be a moment where the United States tries to have a racial reckoning over issues that have divided the country for decades," said David Williard, an associate professor of History at the University of St. Thomas.
President Donald Trump talks to the crowd at the Wilmington International Airport in Wilmington, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020. Trump was visiting Wilmington to declare it the first World War II Heritage City and to meet with World War II veterans in a private, invitation only event at the Battleship North Carolina.[AP/ Matt Born, The Star-News ]
By a measure of nearly 5 to 1, survey respondents said race relations in America are worse than they were four years ago. About 57% said race relations were worse or much worse; 12% said they were better or much better; and 29% said things were "about the same."
Overall, the latest survey shows Minnesotans have a pessimistic outlook on the future of the U.S. A total of 32% said they were very positive or somewhat positive about the future of America, while 47% said they felt very negative or somewhat negative.
"When I saw that number, that was probably the most important statistic in this poll, because it ultimately recognizes that we are at this critical point in this country and we have a choice to make," said Marcus Owens, executive director of the African American Leadership Forum.
View the full survey results.