Biden sees significant dip in public approval three years down the road

ByGemma Iso

January 26, 2024

In a recent Gallup survey, President Joe Biden was confronted with a significant dip in public approval during his third year in office, marking the lowest average job approval rating of any U.S. president since the challenging days of President Carter. The findings, released on Thursday, revealed that from January 20, 2023, to January 19, 2024, Biden’s average approval rating stood at 39.8 percent, causing concerns within political circles and anxiety within his camp.

Approval ratings

Biden’s current job approval rating, now at 41 percent, positions him as the president with the least favorable ratings during the third year of his term.

Comparatively, Biden’s third-year performance falls behind that of former President Donald Trump, whose average job approval rating during his third year was 42 percent. This shift in ratings is noteworthy, given that Biden outperformed Trump in his first two years in office, with an average approval rating of 48.9 percent in the first year and 41 percent in the second.

Notably, Biden’s third-year average approval among Democrats is at a record high of 83 percent, while his approval among Republicans is at an all-time low of 5 percent. In contrast, Trump’s third-year average approval among Republicans tied with President George H.W. Bush at 89 percent, second only to Eisenhower’s 91 percent. However, Trump’s approval among Democrats hit a new low at 7 percent.

Crucial indicator for upcoming elections

The Gallup survey analysis underscores a broader trend of increasingly polarized political landscapes, where approval ratings tend to align more closely with party lines. During the average third-year job approval ratings of presidents since President Eisenhower, the party gap was most pronounced during Trump’s third year (82 points) and, now, during Biden’s third year (78 points).

While the political climate remains dynamic, these approval ratings may serve as a crucial indicator for the upcoming elections, shaping the narrative of Biden’s presidency in the eyes of the American public.