Biden’s approval rating in the poll is at 38%, while 62% disapprove. His approval ratings for economic control (30%) and inflation (25%) are very low. Inflation is a major financial concern for most Americans: 75% cite inflation and the cost of living as part of their family’s financial problems. Last summer, this number stood at 43%.
As the midterm elections approach, polls don’t show Biden’s popularity with the public — and among other critical areas, it’s getting worse. Among Democrats, for example, Mr. Biden’s approval ratings have dropped by 13 points since the spring (from 86% in late April to early May to 73% now), while his numbers among independents and Republicans have remained the same. Biden’s approval rating among Democrats on managing the economy has also fallen (62% approve, down from 71% this spring). And on inflation, it’s not above water (51% of Democrats approve, 47% oppose).
Among people of color, 45% now approve of Biden’s performance, down from 54% last spring. This decline includes a 6-point dip among black adults and a 9-point drop among Hispanic adults. Mr. Biden’s approval of dealing with the economy and inflation is now divided among black adults, who have been among the President’s supporters (47% approve and 52% oppose the economy, while 34% approve and 65% oppose inflation).
Few Americans agree with what Biden is doing and he says he does it vigorously. Overall, only 12% approve of Biden’s handling of the presidency compared to 43% who say they disapprove of his job performance. Only 28% of Democrats strongly approve, while among Republicans, strong disapproval is almost universal at 84%.
Public sentiment about the economy and the state of the nation as a whole is very negative and getting worse. Since spring, the share that says things are going well in the country has risen 11 points to 79%, the highest since February 2009, and just four points shy of the November 2008 high. This change comes mainly among Democrats. Only 38% of Democrats now say things are going well in the country, down from 61% this spring. Similarly, there has been a sharp decline among people of color, from 41% saying things are going well in the spring to 27% now.
Only 18 percent of Americans describe the nation’s economy as good, while 82 percent say the economy is not doing well. About 4 in 10 (41%) describe the economy as “very poor,” up 11 points from the spring and nearly doubling from December. As some economists warn of an impending recession, many Americans think the country is already in it. The survey found that 64% of Americans feel that the economy is in a deep recession, higher than the percentage who said this before the Great Recession (46% felt that way in October 2007) and the recession that began in 2001 (44% said. the country had already collapsed in February ’01). Majorities across parties say the country has already collapsed, including 56% of Democrats, 63% of independents and 76% of Republicans.
When asked to name the biggest financial problem facing their family today, 75% blame it on an issue related to the cost of living or inflation, including 38% who cite inflation and inflation most often, 29% who cite fuel prices, and 18% who mention the cost of food. Both numbers have increased significantly since last summer. One of the researchers said, “Prices for everything are still going up. Will they stop?” Another said, “I work 40+ hours and can’t make ends meet. With gas prices and food prices so high, I don’t see how anyone can have extra money to do anything other than work.” And a third student said, “Inflation causes a lot of pain in everything we buy and everything we do.”
While the public’s interest in inflation has shifted, few think the president has followed through. In the survey, 68% say Mr. Biden has not paid enough attention to the country’s biggest issues, up from 58% who said this last November. This surpasses the previous record of a CNN poll saying that the president’s attention has been lost (59% say that Donald Trump is not paying attention to the most important issues in late summer 2017).
On this question, too, Biden is losing ground among his supporters. Among Democrats, 57% say they have priorities, down nearly 20 points from 75% last fall. Among people of color, only 35% say they have priorities, and among those under 35, only 23% say the president is interested.
The poll found that Mr. Biden’s approval of immigration control (39%) and the situation in Ukraine (46%) outweighed the economy, but the majority disapproved of both.
The survey also shows that the popularity of the President and Vice President has reached a peak. A year and a half ago, before the inauguration, 59% had a favorable opinion of Biden and 51% had a favorable opinion of Kamala Harris. Now, those numbers stand at 36% and 32% respectively. Meanwhile, public opinion on first lady Jill Biden is mixed: 34% have a favorable opinion, 29% are unfavorable and 37% don’t know how they feel about her.
CNN’s new poll was conducted by SSRS June 13 to July 13 among 1,459 adults who were mailed out, and is the third survey CNN has conducted using this method. Surveys were conducted online or over the phone with an interviewer. Results for the entire sample have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.3 percent.
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