President Joe Biden’s approval rating hit a new low in the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll that shows only 41 percent of Americans approve of the job he is doing with 53 percent disapproving. The decline is driven largely by Democrats and independents as the president has seen his approval ratings decline steadily since taking office, when a slight majority of Americans approved of his performance. The president’s approval rating hit 50 percent in June and 44 percent in September, meaning his current standing isn’t statistically different from two months ago. The president’s loss of popularity among members of his own party is quite stark. While 94 percent of Democrats approved of his job performance in June, that number is down to 80 percent.
Even as Biden’s approval rating keeps slumping, Americans give high ratings to his key policy initiatives with 63 percent expressing support for the $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed by Congress. A clear majority—58 percent—also back the almost $2 trillion social spending bill that is still being considered by lawmakers. But the president doesn’t get much credit. And, in fact, voters seem to be looking toward Republican candidates. If midterm elections were held today, 51 percent of registered voters said they would support the Republican candidate with 41 percent saying they would back the Democrat. That’s the biggest margin in favor of Republicans in the history of the poll that began in November 1981. Democratic strategists continue to insist things will improve by next year, but the numbers illustrate the kind of risk Democrats face in losing their majorities in the House and Senate.
The poll also highlights that Americans are quite pessimistic with 70 percent saying the economy is in bad shape, a sharp increase from 58 percent in the spring. Around half of Americans blame Biden for inflation and his approval rating on the economy is down six points since September to 39 percent.
