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Biden’s approval rating under 40%; GOP has advantage heading into November: poll

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Social Links for Mark Moore
Published Feb. 27, 2022
Updated Feb. 27, 2022, 9:26 a.m. ET
President Joe Biden reacts to questions about U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer after it was reported Breyer will retire at the end of the court's current term, as he hosts chief executives of major U.S. companies at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 26, 2022.
President Biden's approval rating is under 40% a new poll shows. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

President Biden’s underwater approval ratings and Americans’ deep discontent with inflation and the economy has given Republicans an advantage going into the 2022 midterm elections in which the GOP is hoping to regain control of Congress, a poll released Sunday shows. 

The president’s approval rating has plummeted to 37 percent – with 55 percent disapproving – down 4 percentage points since November and 15 points since April 2021, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll. 

Dragging down Biden’s poll numbers are his handling of the economy (37 percent approve, 58 disapprove) and the coronavirus pandemic (44 percent approve, 50 percent disapprove).

The poll also shows that Americans believe Republicans would do a better job handling the economy than Democrats by 54 percent to 35 percent – an increase of 7 percentage points since November.  

But they give Democrats a slight edge on whom they trust more to handle the pandemic (43 percent to 37 percent) and education (44 percent to 41 percent).

Asked about the midterm elections, Americans by 50 – 40 percent say they’d rather see Congress controlled by Republicans so they can act as a check on Biden’s policies.

Democrats led this measure by 16 percentage points going into the 2018 midterms during the Trump administration​ when they won 40 seats.

The margins more closely reflect those in 2010 and 2014 when Republicans won 13 and 63 seats, respectively, during the Obama administration. ​

If the election were held today, 49 percent of registered voters say they would vote for the Republican candidate for the House of Representatives, compared to 42 percent who would pick the Democrat.  

People shop for groceries at a supermarket in Glendale, California January 12, 2022.
Americans’ deep discontent with inflation and the economy has given Republicans an advantage. ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images

T​hat margin widens to 54 – 41 percent among Americans who say they are registered to vote and are certain to cast a ballot in November. ​

B​iden’s dismal approval rating is among the lowest for a president heading into their first State of the Union address, which Biden will deliver Tuesday. ​

Going back to Harry Truman, only former President Donald Trump at 36 percent had a lower approval rating.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., February 24, 2022.
President Biden will deliver his State of the Union address Tuesday. REUTERS/Leah Millis

Former President Gerald Ford tied Biden at 37 percent. 

The poll surveyed 1,011 Americans between Feb. 20-24.

It has a 4.0 percentage points margin of error.