AUGUST 5, 2022
As Biden’s agenda finally appears to be moving, public support for his work has grown to 43 percent today, according to a daily poll by the Rasmussen Reports. – Nathan Howard/Getty Images
President Joe Biden’s approval rate bounced back on Friday, with 44 percent of U.S. citizens being satisfied with the way the president he’s handling his job, according to a new poll.
The numbers are still much below the public support Biden received at the beginning of his presidency, but they’re a significant improvement from his personal low of 36 percent reported by Reuters in May.
Back in January 2021, the president was still receiving a majority approval rating, with 57 percent of U.S. citizens expressing satisfaction with the work he was doing. His approval rate dropped under 50 percent as COVID-19 cases soared across the country last summer, and was then significantly tanked by the hasty withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in August 2021.
A combination of the lingering impact of the pandemic on supply chains, the war in Ukraine shooting up energy and fuel prices and soaring inflation has contributed to the public’s unhappiness with Biden’s handling of his job. Since May, it has hovered at levels around 36 percent.
According to the latest poll by Rasmussen Reports, 54 percent of U.S. citizens disapprove of Biden’s work. Some 21 percent “strongly approve” the president’s overall performance, while 44 percent “strongly disapprove.”
A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Wednesday shows lower levels of approval for Biden’s job than Rasmussen Reports but agrees that the past week has been a good one for the president, who has seen a one percent increase in public support. Biden’s approval rate rose from 37 to 38 percent this week, according to Reuters.
This small yet significant increase in Biden’s popularity might be linked to a combination of successful policies and actions the president has signed off this week.
On Monday, Biden confirmed that Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda’s leader and one of the masterminds behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks, had been killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan.
Gas prices have started to fall, offering some relief to inflation-stricken Americans. And Biden’s agenda is finally starting to move, with the climate deal no longer appearing to be dead in the water.
As the midterms approach, it’s increasingly important for Biden to gain more support from the public. This year, his approval rate has plunged to the lowest levels of his entire presidency, falling further than his two predecessors during their administrations.
The legislative victories achieved in the past week might be a game-changer for Biden and the Democratic Party moving forward towards the incoming midterms —but things change quickly in politics, and it’s unclear if the president’s successes will translate into an enduring growth in support from voters.
