A new tracking poll shows President Joe Biden’s continuing unpopularity among Americans.
The president struggles amid the perception the economy is in rough shape and concern over his mental health as he seeks a second term.
The latest AP/NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that only 33% of Americans approve of his handling of the economy, and only 24% of Americans say they think the economy is in good shape. Biden’s overall approval rating stood at 40%, which is roughly where other polls have placed him.
The poll of 1,680 adults aged 18 and older was conducted May 11-15.
Joe Biden has a 75% approval rating among Democrats and 5% among Republicans. Among Democrats, 63% told pollsters they approve of his handling of the economy even though more Democrats than Republicans say the country is headed in the right direction, 36% to 7%.
“Everything feels a bit crazy right now in this economy,” Zoie Mosqueda, a Texas mother of two who works at a boutique and is looking to open her own business, told the Associated Press to explain her disapproval of Biden’s performance. “My older daughter is in school now, and I just worry that this lack of gun policy stuff could affect her.”
On immigration, only 31% of Americans approved of Biden’s handling of immigration and 67% disapproved, with 52% of Democrats approving and 46% disapproving. On gun policy, 31% of Americans approved while 67% disapproved, with 50% approving and 48% approving.
This shows Biden’s support among Democrats remains soft.
The Associated Press found that the debt ceiling fight concerns those who are paying attention.
“It would be a total catastrophe for the country if they don’t agree to do something,” said Bob Vought, a retired auto parts warehouse manager in St. Petersburg, Florida. He said he strongly disapproves of Biden’s handling of the economy.
Joe Biden Less Popular Than Trump
The Real Clear Politics Average puts Joe Biden at 41.9% with a 54.2% disapproval rating.
Rasmussen Reports found that Biden’s approval rating has been tanking as his likely rival for the presidency next year, former President Donald Trump, has been ascending. A new tracking poll taken Wednesday found that Trump’s approval rating stood at 46% compared with 42% for Biden. Trump’s advantage over Biden comes amid the former president’s legal troubles and the announcement that he will have to stand trial on Mar. 25, 2024 in the midst of primary season.
Biden Faces Polling Headwinds Amid Debt Ceiling Fight
Polling also shows that more Americans favor House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s call to reduce spending and worry about the federal deficit and debt than Biden’s belief the debt ceiling should be unconditionally raised. Seventy-one percent of Americans say that the debt ceiling should be raised.
Sixty percent told a CNN poll that they believe an increase in the debt ceiling should be accompanied with budget cuts, and 24% agreed with Biden that the debt ceiling should be raised unconditionally.
Only 31% said they thought Biden had the right priorities, and 60% of Independents said they thought neither Biden nor the Republicans had the right issues that mattered to Americans.
Biden has a lot to worry about considering that his policy agenda enjoys weak support among Americans and Trump is outpolling him in several polls despite his criminal and civil litigations.
John Rossomando was a senior analyst for Defense Policy and served as Senior Analyst for Counterterrorism at The Investigative Project on Terrorism for eight years. His work has been featured in numerous publications such as The American Thinker, The National Interest, National Review Online, Daily Wire, Red Alert Politics, CNSNews.com, The Daily Caller, Human Events, Newsmax, The American Spectator, TownHall.com, and Crisis Magazine. He also served as senior managing editor of The Bulletin, a 100,000-circulation daily newspaper in Philadelphia, and received the Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors first-place award for his reporting.
