By Paul Bedard, Washington Secrets Columnists
President Joe Biden’s downward spiral in polling that started with the bungled withdrawal from Afghanistan at the end of August has continued nonstop, and he is now underwater on the key issues measured by Gallup.
Even on the coronavirus crisis, long the lone standout for the embattled Biden’s approval ratings, voters now disapprove of his performance, said the latest Gallup survey.
The most hopeful line in the pollster’s analysis is that Biden’s ratings are so low, especially with his own party’s base and independent voters, that he might soon hit bottom.
“Since the honeymoon phase of his presidency, Biden has seen his support drop among all political groups. His ratings among Republicans cannot go much lower, so further declines in his approval rating depend on whether Democrats’ and independents’ evaluations of him worsen,” said the analysis.
His drop in support from independents threatens to undermine Democrats in 2022 and his own reelection campaign, as it is that block of voters that influences election outcomes.
“Over the course of his presidency, Biden’s job ratings have fallen the most among independents, among whom 35% currently approve, compared with ratings in the high 50s to low 60s in his initial months as president,” said the polling note.
Biden’s latest ratings from Gallup:
- Overall job: 41% approve, 55% disapprove
- Economy: 37% approve, 62% disapprove
- Response to the coronavirus: 47% approve, 52% disapprove
- Foreign affairs: 40% approve, 56% disapprove
- The situation with Russia: 36% approve, 55% disapprove
“Biden’s overall job approval has shown no meaningful improvement since last fall when it declined after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. High inflation and the continuing coronavirus pandemic are likely two factors keeping Biden’s approval rating down,” said Gallup, noting the beginning of Biden’s fall.
One hope for the White House is that Biden can show firmness with Russia as the Kremlin moves to war with Ukraine. Other pollsters have suggested that Biden is already starting to see a war bounce in his overall approval rating.
Rasmussen Reports today, for example, has Biden at his highest approval rating, 45%, for all of 2022. His disapproval is 54%.
