An NBC News poll released Sunday had no glad tidings for President Biden, whose approval rating slid underwater for the first time as he struggles to regain his footing ahead of the crucial 2022 midterm elections.
The poll found that 42% of U.S. adults surveyed approved of his job performance and 54% disapproved after recording a 49%-48% split in August, The survey was conducted jointly by Hart Research Associates and Public Opinion Strategies.
The latest numbers represent a double-digit drop for Mr. Biden since the April survey showing 53% approval and 39% disapproval.
“Democrats face a country whose opinion of President Biden has turned sharply to the negative since April,” said Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research. “The promise of the Biden presidency — knowledge, competence and stability in tough times — have all been called into question.”
The poll also found that 71% of those polled, including 48% of Democrats, believe the country is headed in the wrong direction just nine months into Mr. Biden’s presidency.
“When you see a wrong track of 71 percent, it is a flashing red light,” said Republican pollster Bill McInturff of Public Opinion Strategies. “These folks are telling us that this is not going well.”
Mr. Biden, who heads Sunday to Glasgow, Scotland, for the U.N. climate summit after his G20 meeting with world leaders in Rome, has seen his approval rating plummet in polls across the board in recent months amid rising inflation, higher fuel prices and the administration’s botched exit from Afghanistan.
Only 37% of those surveyed gave him high marks on a five-point scale “for being competent and effective as president,” while he received a poor rating from 50%.
Mr. Biden ran on being able to unite the nation after four years of the Trump administration, but just 28% gave him a positive rating for “uniting the country,” while 51% ranked him negatively.
The poll of 1,000 U.S. adults was conducted Oct. 23-26 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1%.
Good Sunday morning —
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) October 31, 2021
We have a brand new NBC News poll out this morning that’s filled with tough news for Democrats.
The country is headed —
In the right direction: 22
On wrong track: 71
President Biden’s job performance —
Approve: 42
Disapprove: 54 pic.twitter.com/zlQr36lzzt
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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