Joe Biden's Approval Rating Sinks To Lowest Point In New CBS Poll
Apr. 12 2022, Published 5:14 p.m. ET
Democrat Joe Biden succeeded one of the most unpopular presidents in recent history, but he also inherited several complex crises, including the coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19 has, apart from ravaging the health care system, wreaked havoc on the supply chain, leading to high inflation and surging gas prices.
Meanwhile, the Russian invasion of Ukraine made matters all the more complicated for Biden, who has had to walk a fine line between helping the Ukrainians and not involving the U.S. in the conflict.
All of this appears to have had a rather negative impact on the president's approval rating.
New Poll
The latest CBS News/YouGov poll, which was released this week, brought more bad news for Biden and the Democratic Party as a whole.
Just 42 percent of respondents said they approve of the job Biden is doing as commander-in-chief, which means that his approval rating is now at the lowest point ever.
In comparison, 62 percent approved of Biden's job performance in March last year, and 50 percent approved of his performance in August.
Issues
On issues Americans consider important, Biden does not fare well.
Just 39 percent of respondents said they approve of Biden's performance when it comes to tackling crime, while 38 percent said they approve of his performance on immigration.
Similarly, 63 percent said they disapprove of how Biden is handling the economy and 69 percent said they disapprove of how he is handling inflation.
According to the poll, inflation, gas prices, and the economy are high priority issues for the vast majority of Americans.
Partisan Differences
Though Americans broadly agree on important issues, there are some significant partisan differences.
For example, Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to blame the increase in oil prices on gas, companies, Vladimir Putin, and sanctions on Russia than on Biden.
Conversely, 72 percent of Republicans and just 36 percent of Democrats believe immigration is a top issue. In fact, 86 percent of Republican respondents said Biden should be tougher on immigration, compared to just 27 percent of Democrats.
Crime is also an issue liberals and conservatives view differently: 74 percent of Republicans consider it a high priority, compared to 50 percent of Democrats.
2022 Midterms
According to an analysis from the Council on Foreign Relations, all available data suggests Democrats will get clobbered in the upcoming midterm elections -- and Biden's low approval rating is not the only issue.
For a start, Democrats only have a four-seat advantage in the House, and so far, 31 Democratic incumbents have announced they will not run for reelection.
Inflation, meanwhile, is at a 40-year high, and most Americans say it is causing hardships for them, according to polls.
