US President Donald Trump, shown campaigning in Kentucky on the eve of November 5, 2019 gubernatorial and legislative elections in several states, hopes his Republican Party can hold the line against Democrats (MANDEL NGAN)

Washington (AFP) – US voters head to polls Tuesday in several states with governorships or legislatures at stake, in early tests of enthusiasm for and against President Donald Trump ahead of the 2020 elections.

With Washington swept up in an impeachment saga, results in Kentucky, Mississippi and Virginia will be closely watched for how the crisis is influencing their voters, how strong the support is for Trump in Republican bastions, and whether Democrats are wielding increasing influence in the suburbs.

The embattled president will certainly tout any Republican victories in these odd-year elections as signs of support as he runs for re-election.

Under normal circumstances, the gubernatorial races in deeply conservative Kentucky, which Trump won by 30 percentage points over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and Mississippi (18 points), might not be in play.

But the president’s approval rating has slid below 40 percent, and Trump found himself in Mississippi last weekend and Lexington, Kentucky on Monday rallying the faithful ahead of the elections.

“Republicans are the most unified that I’ve ever seen,” Trump said in Kentucky, blasting Democrats for recently voting to bring the impeachment probe to a new, public phase.

“The Democrats’ outrageous conduct has created an angry majority that will vote the do-nothing Democrats the hell out of office.”

There are signs impeachment is galvanizing Trump’s base. Monday’s New York Times/Siena poll found that while Trump has flimsy backing nationwide, his core support remains solid in key swing states like Michigan and Pennsylvania where elections are actually won.

Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, who is seeking re-election, has tied himself closely to Trump, as has Mississippi gubernatorial candidate Tate Reeves.

The Kentucky race is seen as a toss-up, while Mississippi’s leans Republican, according to political analysis site FiveThirtyEight.com.

Tom Perez, head of the Democratic National Committee, said Trump’s Kentucky rally exposes Republican jitters about Tuesday.

“Across America he’s underwater,” Perez said of Trump. “He won Kentucky by 30 points and he has to go down there tonight because you have such a close race.”

– ‘Embarrassing’ –

Mississippi’s race is also closer than anticipated, a development not lost on Trump at his rally there.

“I can’t believe this is a competitive race. It’s like, embarrassing,” he said before bringing Reeves on stage.

Democrats are eyeing Virginia, where Republicans narrowly control both chambers of the legislature, to score important local gains.

Virginia has a realistic shot of flipping control of the legislature in 2019.

The state has been steadily shifting blue over the past decade and Democrats hope Trump’s deep unpopularity, and the growing clout of suburban Virginia voters, will help Democrats consolidate power for the first time since the 1990s.

New Jersey is also holding elections for its state assembly, which is expected to remain in Democratic control.

Disclaimer: Validity of the above story is for 7 Days from original date of publishing. Source: AFP.