Domenico Montanaro

That's a four-point increase from a year ago and includes eight in ten Democrats and two-thirds of independents.

Republicans largely take the opposite view.

With Trump in office, 73% of Republicans say the state of the union is strong.

The splits by education and gender are also notable.

69% of college degree holders say the state of the union is weak, while those without degrees are split 50-50.

What's more, 6 in 10 say the country is worse off than a year ago, and most describe the direction that Trump is moving the country as change for the worse.

That presents a political challenge for Trump's State of the Union address in this midterm election year.

Domenico Montanaro, NPR News, Washington.

There are really big splits by education and gender.

I mean, of those with college degrees, 69 percent say that the State of the Union is not strong.

Those without degrees, though, are split 50-50.

Women, 63% say that the State of the Union is not strong.

That's 12 points higher than men.

Both of those divides have been really pronounced throughout this decade with Trump on the political scene and how people view him.

Fifty-seven percent of the more than 1,400 people that Marist surveyed say the State of the Union is not strong.

That's a four-point increase from a year ago and includes eight in ten Democrats and two-thirds of independents.

Republicans largely take the opposite view.

With Trump in office, 73% of Republicans say the State of the Union is strong.

The splits by education and gender are also notable.

69% of college degree holders say the State of the Union is weak.