Joe Biden’s approval rating 13 quarters into his first term marks a historic low among post-World War II U.S. Presidents, significantly trailing behind figures like Donald Trump, Richard Nixon, or Jimmy Carter at the same juncture. According to Gallup, the 81-year-old Democrat currently holds an approval rating of 38.7 percent, making him the sole president to fall below the 40 percent threshold at this stage in his presidency.
Gallup’s analysis, which assesses 314 quarterly presidential approval ratings since 1945, places Biden’s current numbers at 277th, positioning him within the bottom 12 percent of all presidential quarters. George H.W. Bush Sr. holds the next lowest rating after Biden, with a 41.8 percent approval during his 13th quarter in 1992, a term that did not culminate in reelection.
Notably, among all presidents with approval ratings under 50 percent at this point in their terms, Barack Obama was the sole incumbent to secure reelection, boasting an approval rating of 45.9 percent, over seven points ahead of Biden’s current rating.
Gallup’s polling offers no indication of improvement in Biden’s public standing, with his current quarterly average registering as “technically the lowest of his presidency to date.” Biden’s approval has failed to exceed 50 percent since his second quarter in office.
“With about six months remaining before Election Day, Biden faces a more challenging reelection effort than any prior incumbent,” the pollster observes, highlighting a formidable task ahead for the Biden administration.
This narrative is reinforced by other polls showing Trump leading Biden in six out of seven swing states at present. Numerous recent polls consistently place the 45th President ahead of his successor across critical battlegrounds, with some surveys favoring Trump in all seven of these states.
Biden’s faltering support extends to key demographics that rallied behind him in 2020, including young and black voters, indicating broader challenges in retaining his base and securing critical electoral support.
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