Missouri poll shows Trump and Governor Kehoe both slip into negative approval

A St. Louis University/YouGov poll conducted between Aug. 13 and Aug. 24 surveyed 900 likely Missouri voters and found that disapproval now exceeds approval for both President Donald Trump and Governor Mike Kehoe, the first time each has registered a negative net rating in the poll’s six-year run. Trump’s net approval has slipped 19 points since his 2025 inauguration, while Kehoe’s rating fell to 39% approval with 49% disapproval, his first net loss.

Poll director Steve Rogers linked the downturn to “MAGA fatigue” and voter dissatisfaction with the war in Iran and rising inflation. The same poll showed Republican State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick leading Democrat Quentin Wilson by a narrow 45-43 margin, within the margin of error, and indicated that voters are increasingly judging down-ballot races by party rather than candidate familiarity. Additional findings highlighted strong opposition to the Iran war and widespread worries about healthcare, food, gasoline and utility costs, as well as mixed views on upcoming ballot measures.