[....] A PBS NewsHour-Marist poll released Wednesday reveals that only 17 percent of the country supports the Senate measure, known as the Better Care Reconciliation Act. Bad news for the Republicans advocating its passage, clearly.

Buried in the poll, though, is even worse news for the party. Democrats continue to be stalwartly opposed to President Trump and his party’s health-care proposals, unsurprisingly. But independents are similarly souring on the president and the party’s legislation — as Republicans and Trump supporters appear to tune out. November 2018 is still a long way away, but if that trend continues, it suggests the possibility of a disinterested Republican base and a hostile middle — bad news for Republicans in Congress in any sort of contested race.

Since February, approval of Trump’s job performance among independents has fallen by 9 points, from 40 percent to only 31 percent. Four months ago, Trump was 11 points underwater on favorability with that group, meaning that his unfavorable numbers were 11 points higher than his favorable numbers. That spread is now 28 points.

[.....CHART.....]

Part of this is Trump’s handling of the economy, with 49 percent of that group saying that the economy has weakened under his leadership. But part of the problem lies elsewhere [....]