Topline
President Joe Biden’s approval rating sharply rose to 45% in September from a low of 36% two months earlier, according to an AP-NORC poll, a potential bright spot for Democrats ahead of November’s midterm elections where the party faces the uphill task of trying to retain control of both the House and the Senate.
US President Joe Biden gives a thumbs-up from Air Force One prior to departing from La Crosse … [+]
Key Facts
According to the AP-NORC poll, Biden’s approval rating for August was buoyed by a sharp rise in support from Democrats, 78% of whom now approve of him, up from 65% in July.
Biden’s approval among Republicans rose slightly to 10% from just 5% two months earlier.
The poll isn’t all good news for the president as 53% of Americans still disapprove of Biden, with his handling of the economy being the primary area of discontent.
The president’s approval rating appears to have been aided by a steep drop in gas prices across the country from a high of $5 per gallon in June and recent legislative successes.
Biden’s approval rating has also benefited from signs of a potential 2024 run by former President Donald Trump, who Biden has attempted to cast a threat to democracy in the U.S.
Big Number
38%. That is the percentage of Americans who approve of Biden’s handling of the economy, according to the poll. The economy remains an area of major concern for the president, especially as inflation remains stubbornly high.
Key Background
After taking a major hit earlier this year due to record high inflation, Biden’s approval rating has slowly inched upward following a string of high profile wins, including the passing of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, which earmarks $360 billion in spending to fight climate change. Democratic supporters also appear to have been galvanized by the the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which has triggered a spate of anti-abortion legislation—including outright bans—in several Republican-controlled states. Biden has also made it a point to draw attention to his chief rival and predecessor Trump and ‘MAGA Republicans’ and has accused them of engaging in “violence, hate and division.” Democrats now enter the midterm elections in far better shape than dire predictions suggested earlier this year. While Republicans are widely expected to win a majority in the House, Democrats now have a strong chance of retaining control of the Senate and potentially expanding their majority.
Further Reading
Biden approval rises sharply ahead of midterms: AP-NORC poll (Associated Press)
Biden’s Approval Rating Surges After Series Of Unexpected Wins (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2022/09/15/major-bump-in-bidens-approval-ratings-but-majority-still-disapprove-poll-finds/