If Obama's approval ratings were lower in 2016...

[BaldEagle1991]

A good Google search on "President Obama's approval rating" gives out a small chart of polls indicating he's around 50%-54%.

What if Obama's approval ratings were down on the level of Bush in 2008? What would the polls and projected maps would be?

Obviously Trump would be in a double digit lead by this point, but the projected map is one I wonder. Perhaps FL and CO would no doubt be under his column. NM would be a battleground. 

[Lachi]

Trump would still lose.

[BaldEagle1991]

Trump would still lose.

Explain.

[Mr. Smith]

trump would've lost the Primaries to Rubio or Cruz, who'd promptly stomp Clinton in like she McCain or something.

[Xing]

If Obama had approval ratings in the 20s, Trump would be winning by at least 3-4%. The Democratic Party itself would be toxic enough that many people would flock to the "other" candidate, even if that other candidate happened to be Trump.

[Mr. Smith]

Which groups that aren't supporting Trump now would support him if Obama's approval ratings were at Bush 2008 levels? Hispanics? Nope. White suburban women? Nope. Blacks? Nope.

Which is why I said Cruz or Rubio would've won the Primaries instead.

[Hammy]

Which groups that aren't supporting Trump now would support him if Obama's approval ratings were at Bush 2008 levels? Hispanics? Nope. White suburban women? Nope. Blacks? Nope.

I think Trump would be leading--not by virtue of gaining more votes, but more than likely due to either lower turnout (like the 2014 midterms) or higher third party support.

[Erich Maria Remarque]

Which groups that aren't supporting Trump now would support him if Obama's approval ratings were at Bush 2008 levels? Hispanics? Nope. White suburban women? Nope. Blacks? Nope.

I think Trump would be leading--not by virtue of gaining more votes, but more than likely due to either lower turnout (like the 2014 midterms) or higher third party support.

[President Johnson]

Not much of a change. Billy had a higher approval in 2000 and it was still that close.

[‼realJohnEwards‼]

Not much of a change. Billy had a higher approval in 2000 and it was still that close.

Otoh Clinton never campaigned with Gore (for obvious reasons), whereas Obama's planning to fly all over the map this year.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Which groups that aren't supporting Trump now would support him if Obama's approval ratings were at Bush 2008 levels? Hispanics? Nope. White suburban women? Nope. Blacks? Nope.

If I told you in 2007 that Virginia and North Carolina were going to vote for a democratic president the next year, you probably wouldn't have believed me. Low approval ratings for the incumbent result in certain groups voting against them or their successor in patterns we would normally never expect. Trump would be well ahead.

[Person Man]

Not much of a change. Billy had a higher approval in 2000 and it was still that close.

Otoh Clinton never campaigned with Gore (for obvious reasons), whereas Obama's planning to fly all over the map this year.

Could be a wash...between the two scenarios with it neither being a Stay The Course or Hope and Change election.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Which groups that aren't supporting Trump now would support him if Obama's approval ratings were at Bush 2008 levels? Hispanics? Nope. White suburban women? Nope. Blacks? Nope.

If Obama's ratings were lower:

1.  There would be more "Trump Democrats" then there are now in the vein of Reagan Democrats.  Not as many, but enough to be worthy of some discussion.

2.  He'd be doing better amongst millennials, whose frustration with Obama would manifest in more millennials either voting 3rd party, actually moving to Trump, or staying home.

3.  Hillary might not have been the candidate; Sanders may well have won.  This would have shaved a wee bit off the numbers of women actually voting for Trump.

[Sorenroy]

If Obama's approval ratings were lower in 2016... I don't think Clinton would be able to run on legacy appeal in the primary. She would have either had a much different run or would have lost to the alternative Sanders. It's all hypothetical, because Obama's every action in office has lead to the current situation, but I think the primary (where Democrats were figuring out their own views) would have been more of a battleground then the general election where it's more or less always a battle of the two lesser evils.

[OneJ]

If Obama's approval ratings were lower in 2016... I don't think Clinton would be able to run on legacy appeal in the primary. She would have either had a much different run or would have lost to the alternative Sanders. It's all hypothetical, because Obama's every action in office has lead to the current situation, but I think the primary (where Democrats were figuring out their own views) would have been more of a battleground then the general election where it's more or less always a battle of the two lesser evils.

This. Plus...

My Scenario:
In 2015, Hillary declines to run for president. Instead, the primary will be Elizabeth Warren v. Bernie Sanders while Trump crushes the G.O.P. side.

Warren does well with older voters, with minorities and is keeping it close with white Millennials. She also does well in the Northeast and the South. Bernie was close, but the race proved that Millennials alone could not win the nomination for him and Warren accepts the nomination.

The convention bounce turns out to be a great one.

As a result, Millennials become more inspired to vote for the "lesser of two evils". However, this does not mean Warren won't  be scrutinized by the media reminding voters that she was once a Republican and Trump still refers to her as "Pocahontas". This does turn some (not many) progressive voters to turn to A.S.S. (Attention Seeker Stein).

Warren still maintains a large lead in the polls while Gary Johnson does not come close to garner an average of 15%.

Warren continues to verbally kick Trump's ass during the debates (while he makes a fool out of himself once again) which leads us into Judgement Day (held on November 8th, 2016). It is Warren who becomes the first woman president of the United States thanks to record turnout among younger voters less than the age of 45, Asians and Latinos while Black turnout was stable from last election cycle.

And everyone lived happily after...

The End.

(I'm such a good storyteller, LOL! )

[BaldEagle1991]

If Obama's approval ratings were lower in 2016... I don't think Clinton would be able to run on legacy appeal in the primary. She would have either had a much different run or would have lost to the alternative Sanders. It's all hypothetical, because Obama's every action in office has lead to the current situation, but I think the primary (where Democrats were figuring out their own views) would have been more of a battleground then the general election where it's more or less always a battle of the two lesser evils.

This. Plus...

My Scenario:
In 2015, Hillary declines to run for president. Instead, the primary will be Elizabeth Warren v. Bernie Sanders while Trump crushes the G.O.P. side.

Warren does well with older voters, with minorities and is keeping it close with white Millennials. She also does well in the Northeast and the South. Bernie was close, but the race proved that Millennials alone could not win the nomination for him and Warren accepts the nomination.

The convention bounce turns out to be a great one.

As a result, Millennials become more inspired to vote for the "lesser of two evils". However, this does not mean Warren won't  be scrutinized by the media reminding voters that she was once a Republican and Trump still refers to her as "Pocahontas". This does turn some (not many) progressive voters to turn to A.S.S. (Attention Seeker Stein).

Warren still maintains a large lead in the polls while Gary Johnson does not come close to garner an average of 15%.

Warren continues to verbally kick Trump's ass during the debates (while he makes a fool out of himself once again) which leads us into Judgement Day (held on November 8th, 2016). It is Warren who becomes the first woman president of the United States thanks to record turnout among younger voters less than the age of 45, Asians and Latinos while Black turnout was stable from last election cycle.

And everyone lived happily after...

The End.

(I'm such a good storyteller, LOL! )

There likely would've been more than Warren and Sanders in that scenario. Warren/Sanders would've easily split the White progressive vote and someone else would easily take in the nomination.