[Karah Rucker]

AS PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP PREPARES FOR HIS RETURN TO THE WHITE HOUSE… A CBS NEWS POLL IS PROVIDING DETAILED INSIGHTS INTO A NATION DIVIDED… BUT WITH SOME OPTIMISM ABOUT WHAT LIES AHEAD.

THE YOU-GOV POLL SHOWS A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS ARE EITHER HAPPY OR AT LEAST SATISFIED THAT DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN ELECTED. MANY ARE OPTIMISTIC OR EXCITED ABOUT HIS PRESIDENCY, AND HIS HANDLING OF THE TRANSITION SO FAR GETS A THUMBS-UP FROM MOST AMERICANS, ACCORDING TO THE SURVEY. AMONG HIS VOTERS, THAT APPROVAL IS NEARLY UNIVERSAL.

BUT REACTIONS ARE DEEPLY DIVIDED ALONG PARTY LINES. REPUBLICANS ARE FEELING MORE OPTIMISTIC AND EXCITED ABOUT TRUMP’S PRESIDENCY THAN THEY WERE IN 2016, AND MANY BELIEVE HIS ADMINISTRATION WILL LOWER FOOD AND GROCERY PRICES… A MAJOR CONCERN DURING THIS ELECTION CYCLE.

ON THE OTHER HAND, HALF OF DEMOCRATS REPORT FEELING SCARED ABOUT WHAT TRUMP MIGHT DO, WITH MANY BELIEVING HIS PRESIDENCY WILL THREATEN THEIR RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS. HOWEVER, FEWER THAN HALF OF DEMOCRATS FEEL MOTIVATED TO ACTIVELY OPPOSE HIM RIGHT NOW.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE ECONOMY… THERE’S A NET OPTIMISM ABOUT TRUMP’S ABILITY TO LOWER PRICES, PARTICULARLY AMONG HIS SUPPORTERS. WHILE INFLATION REMAINS A TOP CONCERN FOR MOST AMERICANS, REPUBLICANS ARE ALREADY REPORTING IMPROVED VIEWS OF THE ECONOMY.

WHEN ASKED WHAT TRUMP’S PRIORITIES SHOULD BE, MOST AMERICANS SAY ADDRESSING RISING PRICES SHOULD TOP THE LIST.

TRUMP’S VOTERS ARE OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOR OF TARIFFS, WITH MANY BELIEVING THEY WON’T RAISE PRICES. EVEN AMONG THOSE WHO THINK TARIFFS COULD INCREASE COSTS, A THIRD ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT TRADE-OFF, THE POLL SAYS.

WHEN IT COMES TO CABINET PICKS, TRUMP’S SELECTIONS ARE VIEWED SOMEWHAT POSITIVELY OVERALL. HIS SUPPORTERS OVERWHELMINGLY BACK HIS PICKS, AND OVERALL IMPRESSIONS ARE NET-POSITIVE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE SELECTIONS — PARTICULARLY THE NOMINATION OF SENATOR MARCO RUBIO TO BE SECRETARY OF STATE AND ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. TO HEAD UP H-H-S..

AMERICANS WANT APPOINTEES WITH EXPERIENCE AND INDEPENDENCE, BUT REPUBLICANS ALSO PRIORITIZE LOYALTY TO TRUMP.

ON IMMIGRATION, THE PUBLIC REMAINS DIVIDED. WHILE MOST AMERICANS APPROVE OF A MASS DEPORTATION PROGRAM IN PRINCIPLE, THEY WANT IT HANDLED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OR IMMIGRATION AGENCIES… NOT THE MILITARY.

THERE’S ALSO BEEN A SHIFT IN HOW AMERICANS SEE THE FUTURE. BEFORE THE ELECTION, REPUBLICANS TENDED TO BELIEVE AMERICA’S BEST DAYS WERE BEHIND US, WHILE DEMOCRATS BELIEVED THEY WERE AHEAD. NOW, THOSE VIEWS HAVE FLIPPED… MOST REPUBLICANS FEEL AMERICA’S BEST DAYS ARE IN THE FUTURE, WHILE DEMOCRATS ARE LESS OPTIMISTIC.

FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES AND STRAIGHT FACTS… DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M KARAH RUCKER.