Can Biden go any lower? Sheesh!
President Biden finds himself navigating challenging approval ratings reminiscent of historical precedents as he approaches the conclusion of his inaugural term and the upcoming November elections.
According to the latest Gallup survey, Biden’s job approval rating sits at just 38%, teetering just above his previous lowest point and notably below the 50% benchmark typically associated with re-elected presidents. Megan Brenan, a research consultant at Gallup, highlighted the broader context, noting that Biden’s overall approval has declined to 38%, with even lower ratings in specific areas such as immigration, the Israel-Hamas conflict, foreign affairs, and the economy.
The erosion of support among his party members on critical issues like immigration and international conflicts has contributed to this decline, although his overall standing among Democrats has remained relatively stable. These figures draw parallels to past one-term presidents like Jimmy Carter, whose approval ratings similarly languished during their tenure, signaling a challenging political landscape for the incumbent.
Significantly, Biden’s handling of immigration emerges as a particular sore point, with a mere 28% of respondents expressing approval while a substantial 67% register disapproval. Similarly, sentiments towards his management of foreign affairs, especially amid the Israel-Hamas conflict and the situation in Ukraine, reflect widespread discontent among Americans, further denting his approval ratings.
Despite these setbacks, there’s a faint glimmer of optimism in the realm of economic policy, where slight improvements have been noted. Factors like low unemployment, stabilizing inflation, and robust stock market performance have contributed to a modest uptick in approval ratings concerning the economy, albeit from a relatively low base.
However, Biden’s efforts to regain ground remain challenging, particularly in winning back support from Democrats on key issues like immigration and international affairs. While a significant portion of Democrats still approves of his economic policies, a sizeable proportion expresses reservations regarding his handling of immigration and foreign conflicts, underscoring the complexity of his political balancing act.
Predictably, Republicans continue to register overwhelmingly negative views on Biden’s performance across various domains, while independents, a crucial swing demographic, remain largely unmoved by recent developments.
The Gallup survey, conducted via telephone interviews spanning from February 1st to February 20th, drew responses from a random sample of 1,016 American adults across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with a margin of error of +/- 4 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.