Biden Job Approval Stable at 42%; 52% Disapprove

Posted on December 20, 2021 | by Laura Lington

Forty-two percent (42%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. The latest Scott Rasmussen survey finds that 52% disapprove and 5% are not sure.

Perceptions of the president have remained quite stable. Over ten surveys conducted in November and December, eight found the president’s approval within two points of 43%. One was a point above that range and one a point below.

That suggests a slight decline from September and October when the president’s approval averaged 45%.

The current totals include 18% of voters who Strongly Approve of the president’s performance while 37% Strongly Disapprove.

This survey was conducted prior to Senator Joe Manchin’s announcement that he would not support the Build Back Better plan. It is not clear that Manchin’s decision will have any significant impact on President Biden’s approval.

Last month we noted that passage of that plan would have little impact. That was primarily because few voters were paying attention. The lack of voter awareness may have been a blessing for the president since his proposal included extraordinarily unpopular items. Additionally, most voters share Manchin’s concern and believe the president’s plan would have made inflation worse.

Republicans have called Biden’s plan as a Big Government Socialism Bill. Fifty-three percent (53%) now say it’s accurate to describe the president’s overall agenda as big government socialism.

Another challenge for the president is growing pessimism about the pandemic. Just 29% believe the worst is behind us. That’s a single point above the lowest level recorded since vaccines became available. Eleven percent (11%) now believe it will never end.

Voters are clearly frustrated with both the pandemic itself and the government response to it. Forty-eight percent (48%) think scientists would falsi fy their data to support their personal views of what should be done. Looking back, 58% of voters believe that shutting down businesses and locking down society did more harm than good.

On another front, 32% think it’s Very Likely that democracy in America will end in the next generation or so. That total includes 11% who believe it has already ended. Republicans are significantly more worried about democracy ending than Democrats. A plurality of voters sees Democrats as a bigger threat to democracy than Republicans.

Finally, most voters believe drug cartels have control over the southern border. To challenge the cartels, 60% favor sending military forces and equipment to secure the border.

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Note: Neither Scott Rasmussen, ScottRasmussen.com, nor RMG Research, Inc. have any affiliation with Rasmussen Reports. While Scott Rasmussen founded that firm, he left more than seven years ago and has had no involvement since that time.

Question:

Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Biden is performing his job?

18% Strongly approve

24% Somewhat approve

15% Somewhat disapprove

37% Strongly disapprove

5% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on December 14-15, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

Biden: 43% Approve, 52% Disapprove… Build Back Better Plan Unlikely to Help

Posted on November 28, 2021 | by Staff Writer

Forty-three percent (43%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. The latest Scott Rasmussen survey finds that 52% disapprove and 5% are not sure. The numbers reflect a slight improvement from the president’s lowest approval ratings.

Those totals include just 21% of voters who Strongly Approve of the president’s performance while 39% Strongly Disapprove.

For most of September and the first half of October, the president’s Job Approval averaged 45%. However, over the past eight surveys, an average of 43% have voiced approval for President Biden. Six of those eight surveys have found the president’s ratings within two points of the average.

The legislation being considered in Congress is unlikely to boost the president’s numbers partly because voters have largely tuned out. Just 19% recognize both that the infrastructure bill passed and that the Build Back Better plan has not.

The lack of voter awareness about his legislative efforts may, in fact, be a blessing for the president. At a time when just 9% believe that the worst of inflation is behind us, 56% believe the president’s plan will make things worse by increasing inflation.

Beyond that, the Build Back Better plan–called the Big Government Socialism Bill by Republicans– has a number of extraordinarily unpopular provisions.

Sixty-percent (60%) oppose the Build Back Better payments to illegal immigrants. Just 28% support those payments.
Seventy-three percent (73%) oppose the president’s plan giving the IRS more access to personal and business financial information. That’s partly because 72% think the IRS already collects too much personal information. Voters strongly believe the agency will use new information to target political enemies and the middle class.
The plan includes a tax credit of up to $50,000 for print journalists. Only 19% like that idea.
If someone is physically able to work, 78% of voters believe they should be required to seek a job in order to receive financial support from the government. The Biden plan weakens existing work requirements and does not include such requirements for new benefits.
The plan encourages a rapid transition to electric vehicles. However, just 26% of voters support that goal. Sixty-six percent (66%) believe the transition should wait at least until the needed batteries can be manufactured in the U.S. rather than relying upon China.
The Build Back Better plan expands eligibility for federal benefits at a time when 55% of voters believe too many are already receiving benefits rather than working.
Most voters (53%) believe it is more important protect the existing Medicare program rather than expanding it by adding new benefits. Just 34% disagree.
There are a number of other unpopular provisions including requirements to increase the cost of daycare, reduce the ability of faith-based organizations to provide daycare services, providing federal funding for abortions, and more.

Beyond the political problems with the Build Back Better plan, another challenge facing the president is that pessimism about the pandemic is growing again. However, pessimistic voters have wildly different concerns. Only half (51%) are worried about ongoing health issues. Thirty-six percent (36%) are worried about more government restrictions and mandates.

These results help explain why 49% of voters believe relaxing vaccine mandates, mask requirements, and social distancing guidelines would be good for the economy. Just 30% disagree.

Other data shows that 59% of voters favor relaxing vaccine mandates to ease supply chain issues. Additionally, 61% favor relaxing vaccine mandates for police officers, fire fighters, and health care workers.

These findings, along with other data, provide a sense that support for vaccine mandates is soft. Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters now say they favor the mandates. That’s down six points over the past two months.

Finally, despite the heated rhetoric on both sides, just 13% see Kyle Rittenhouse as a hero. A larger number–25%– say that he is a murderer. However, a solid plurality of 43% believe Rittenhouse did stupid things but is not a murderer.

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Question:

Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Biden is performing his job?

21% Strongly approve

22% Somewhat approve

13% Somewhat disapprove

39% Strongly disapprove

5% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on November 22-23, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

Biden Job Approval Hits New Low at 40%

Posted on November 11, 2021 | by Staff Writer

Forty percent (40%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. That’s down three points from three weeks ago and down seven points from mid-October. The latest Scott Rasmussen survey finds that 55% disapprove and 4% are not sure.

Those totals include just 17% of voters who Strongly Approve of the president’s performance while 39% Strongly Disapprove.

For most of September and the first half of October, the president’s Job Approval averaged 45%. However, over the past five surveys, an average of 43% have voiced approval for President Biden. The current survey is the lowest level yet recorded for the president in a Scott Rasmussen survey.

Looking ahead, 60% of voters say the economy is Very Important to their voting decision. Fifty-three percent (53%) say that both COVID and Election integrity are Very Important.

Lagging behind in voter priorities are Gun Laws (49%), Climate Change (45%), Economic Inequality (39%), and the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol (38%).

Sixty-one percent (61%) of voters believe economic policy should focus on encouraging growth rather than fighting economic inequality. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 27% disagree and 12% are not sure.

Forty-four percent (44%) believe the worst of the pandemic is behind us. Another 29% have ongoing concerns about health related issues while 20% have ongoing concerns about government restrictions. Overall, that means nearly two-thirds of voters (64%) believe either that the worst is behind us or fear ongoing government restrictions.

Republicans continue to hold a 41% – 40% edge on the Generic Congressional Ballot.

The president’s low job approval ratings come as the vast majority of Americans experience sharp inflation (77%) and supply chain issues (63%).

Fifty-seven percent (57%) believe inflation is a tax on the poor. Just 23% disagree. Additionally, at a time when the president wants Congress to pass a social welfare spending bill, 59% of voters nationwide believe increased government spending leads to inflation. Only 14% disagree.

The legislation–called the Build Back Better plan by Democrats and the Big Government Socialism bill by Republicans– is still being negotiated by Democratic factions in Congress. One point of contention between progressive Democrats and more moderate Democrats is Medicare. Among voters, 53% believe it is more important to provide funding that would protect the existing Medicare program rather than expanding Medicare by adding new benefits.

Saule Omarova, President Biden’s nominee to serve as Comptroller of the Currency., has advocated eliminating all private banks in the United States and having the federal government provide banking services for everyone. Just 23% of voters support that idea.

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Question:

Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Biden is performing his job?

17% Strongly approve

23% Somewhat approve

16% Somewhat disapprove

39% Strongly disapprove

5% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on November 8-9, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

Biden’s Approval Stabilizes: 47% Approve, 48% Disapprove

Posted on October 21, 2021 | by Staff Writer

Forty-seven percent (47%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. That’s up two points since late September but down a point from mid-September. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 48% disapprove and 5% are not sure.

While the president’s numbers have stabilized, opinions are stronger on the negative side. Just 22% of voters Strongly Approve of the president’s performance, down seven points from a week ago and the lowest level yet measured. Thirty-five percent (35%)Strongly Disapprove.

The president’s approval ratings are underwater on five key issues facing the nation– Immigration (-18), Taxes and Government Spending (-13), the Economy (-5), National Security (-4), and Healthcare (-1). The president received a net positive approval rating only on his handling of COVID (+8).

It is perhaps not surprising that the president receives such negative marks on taxes and government spending as his budget plan is being debated in Congress.

The plan includes some popular provisions but many other that are problematic for voters.

The Administration has proposed vastly expanding the level of personal banking information reported to the IRS. However, 72% of voters think the IRS already collects too much personal information that should remain private. Rather than giving the IRS more access, these voters believe that more privacy protections are needed.
The initial plan for giving the IRS access to more banking information was opposed by 73% of voters.
To receive federal benefits, 78% think those who are able should be required to work. The president’s plan opposes such work requirements.
Another provision would provide tax credits of up to $50,000 for print journalists. Just 19% of voters favor that provision.

Beyond the budget battles, 67% of voters consider the situation at the border to be a crisis. Just 22% say Biden has done a good or excellent job dealing with it.

Perhaps a deeper problem for the president is that his plan envisions Washington as the engine of change. However, 64% of voters believe positive change in America begins outside the political system.

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Question:

Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Biden is performing his job?

22% Strongly approve

25% Somewhat approve

13% Somewhat disapprove

35% Strongly disapprove

5% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on October 14-16, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Biden Approval Underwater on Immigration, Taxes & Gov’t Spending, Economy, National Security & Healthcare

Posted on October 17, 2021 | by Laura Lington

President Biden’s approval ratings are underwater on five key issues facing the nation– Immigration (-18), Taxes and Government Spending (-13), the Economy (-5), National Security (-4), and Healthcare (-1).

A Scott Rasmussen national survey found the president receiving positive approval only on his handling of COVID (+8).

The president’s low ratings are consistent with other data showing that voters give him low marks for handling the situation at the Southern border. The border situation is considered a crisis by 67% of voters.

Only 38% of voters approve of way the president is addressing taxes and government spending. Fifty-one percent (51%) disapprove. This may be particularly significant during Congressional debate over what Democrats call the Build Back Better plan and Republicans call the Big Government Socialism bill.

Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Democrats approve of the way the president is handling Taxes and Government Spending. Disapproval comes from 77% of Republicans and 56% of Independents.

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Question:

Please let me know if you approve or disapprove of the way President Biden is handling each of the following issues:

The economy

19% Strongly approve

25% Somewhat approve

14% Somewhat disapprove

35% Strongly disapprove

7% Not sure

COVID

26% Strongly approve

25% Somewhat approve

13% Somewhat disapprove

30% Strongly disapprove

6% Not sure

Immigration

18% Strongly approve

25% Somewhat approve

13% Somewhat disapprove

34% Strongly disapprove

10% Not sure

National security

20% Strongly approve

23% Somewhat approve

15% Somewhat disapprove

29% Strongly disapprove

12% Not sure

Healthcare

15% Strongly approve

22% Somewhat approve

17% Somewhat disapprove

38% Strongly disapprove

9% Not sure

Taxes and government spending

17% Strongly approve

21% Somewhat approve

13% Somewhat disapprove

38% Strongly disapprove

11% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on October 11-13, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Biden: 45% Approve; Strong Approval at 18%, Down 7 Over Past Week

Posted on September 29, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-five percent (45%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. That’s down three points from a week ago. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 48% disapprove and 6% are not sure.

Just 18% of voters Strongly Approve of the president’s performance, down seven points from a week ago and the lowest level yet measured. Thirty-four percent (34%)Strongly Disapprove.

Sixty-seven percent (67%) of voters consider the situation at the border to be a crisis and just 22% say Biden has done a good or excellent job dealing with it.

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of voters disapprove of the president’s decision to remove American troops from Afghanistan before all Americans were evacuated. Twenty-one percent (21%) give the president good marks for handling that withdrawal.

On the legislative front, voters are evenly divided when given a choice between passing or rejecting both the bi-partisan infrastructure legislation and the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package: 40% would prefer to pass both bills while 38% would like to see both rejected. Voters are also evenly divided as to whether Biden’s policies are good or bad for the middle class.

The two spending bills include some popular provisions but 77% of voters expect the final package will also include “Inappropriate” provisions inserted by lobbyists.

One such provision would provide tax credits of up to $50,000 for print journalists. Just 19% of voters favor that provision.
Another provision that may be included would require banks to notify the IRS of every transaction of $600 or more made by every American. Just 18% like that idea while 73% are opposed.

Voters also overwhelmingly believe that higher corporate tax rates will lead to higher prices for consumers.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on September 24-25, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

42% Say Biden Policies Good for the Middle Class; 39% Say Bad

Posted on September 28, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-two percent (42%) of voters believe President Biden’s policies are good for middle class Americans while 39% say they are bad.

Not surprisingly, a Scott Rasmussen national survey found a huge partisan divide. Seventy-four percent (74%) of Democrats believe Biden’s policies are good for the middle class while 69% of Republicans take the opposite view. Among Independents, 31% say the policies are good for the middle class while 35% say bad.

It is interesting to note that upper income Americans are far more likely than others to see Biden’s policies as good for the middle class.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on September 22, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

21% Approve of Biden’s Handling of Afghanistan Withdrawal

Posted on September 28, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Twenty-one percent (21%) of voters give President Biden good or excellent marks for handling the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that figure is down ten points from the beginning of September.

Just 42% of Democrats now say the president did a good or excellent job. That’s down 18 points from the beginning of the month.

Only 13% of Independents and 7% of Republicans give the president such positive reviews on handing the withdrawal.

Fifty-eight percent (58%) of voters disapprove of the president’s decision to remove American troops from Afghanistan before all Americans were evacuated. That’s up four points from earlier in the month. Only 33% even somewhat approve of the president’s decision.

Seventy-four percent (74%) think it’s likely that Americans left behind in Afghanistan will eventually be discovered by the Taliban and tortured or killed.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

67% Say Situation at Southern Border a Crisis; 22% Give Biden Good Marks for Dealing With It

Posted on September 28, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixty-seven percent (67%) of voters believe the situation at the Southern border is a crisis. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that just 17% disagree.

At the same time, just 22% think the Biden Administration is doing a good or excellent job dealing with the situation. That’s down nine points since August and 14 points from 36% in late May.

Forty-two percent (42%) of Democrats give the Biden team good marks. Just 13% of Independent voters and 9% of Republicans agree.

Overall, 44% of voters are at least somewhat confident in the ability of the Biden Administration to keep America safe. Forty-eight percent (48%) are not.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

50% Believe Things Would Be Better Today If Trump Had Won; 39% Say Worse

Posted on September 22, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Fifty percent (50%) of voters believe things would be better today if Donald Trump had won the 2020 presidential election. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 39% believe things would be worse and 12% who don’t think things would be all that different.

The total includes 34% who say things would be much better and 29% who say much worse.

Eighty-five percent (85%) of Republicans believe things would be better while 68% of Democrats hold the opposite view. Among Independents, 43% say better and 39% worse.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of White voters believe things would be better if Trump had won. So do 53% of Hispanic voters and 26% of Black voters.

These results may highlight some challenges resulting from President Biden’s call for a vaccine mandate. While the proposal is modestly popular overall, 26% of Black Democrats believe individuals should decide for themselves whether to get vaccinated. Additionally, 60% of Hispanic voters have a close friend or relative who will get vaccinated against their will because they can’t afford to lose their job.

President Biden has gotten very low marks for handling the situation at the southern border of the United States. On a related national security topic, most voters disapprove of the president’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan before all Americans were evacuated.

Overall, a plurality of voters would prefer a candidate who supports Trump-like policies.

President Biden has had a challenging few months and his job approval ratings have slipped.

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* Suppose that Donald Trump had won the 2020 election. Would things today be better, worse, or about the same?

34% Much better

16% Somewhat better

10% Somewhat worse

29% Much worse

6% About the same

6% Not sure

Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Scott Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from September 16-18, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Most respondents were contacted online or via text while 263 were contacted using automated phone polling techniques. Online respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

60% Think US Gov’t Could Go Bankrupt Within 10-15 Years

Posted on September 22, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Sixty percent (60%) of Registered Voters believe it is at least somewhat likely that the U.S. government will go bankrupt in the next 10-15 years. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 30% believe bankruptcy is unlikely and 11% are not sure.

The totals include 33% who consider the government going bankrupt to be Very Likely. At the other extreme, 12% say it is Not at All Likely.

Seventy-eight percent (78%) of Republicans consider the government going bankrupt to be at least somewhat likely. That view is shared by 57% of Independent voters and 53% or Democrats.

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* How likely is it that the United States government will go bankrupt within the next 10-15 years?

33% Very likely

27% Somewhat likely

18% Not very likely

12% Not at all likely

11% Not sure

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Biden Job Approval Stabilizes: 48% Approve, 48% Disapprove

Posted on September 20, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-eight percent (48%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 48% disapprove and 4% are not sure. That’s essentially unchanged from a week ago.

Those totals include 25% who Strongly Approve and 35% who Strongly Disapprove.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters at least somewhat favor the president’s vaccination mandate order. At the same time, however, 54% of voters nationwide believe vaccine requirements should be determined in the private sector.

How can a majority think decisions should be made in the private sector at the same time a majority supports Biden’s top-down approach?

It turns out that just 36% of those who favor the president’s plan believe the federal government should make such decisions. Another 20% of those who support the president’s mandate believe the decision should be made at the state or local level. At the same time, 27% believe the decision should be made either by individual companies or workers.

These results suggest that support for the president’s plan is driven more by partisan loyalty rather than the plan itself.

Adding to the softness of support for the president’s vaccine mandate is the fact that just 33% of voters believe he has the legal authority to order private companies to impose a vaccine requirement. Even among those who favor the plan, just over half (54%) believe Biden has the legal authority to impose it.

Related data shows that 39% of voters have relatives or close friends who will get vaccinated against their will because they don’t want to lose their job. That total includes 60% of Hispanic voters.

Additionally, 66% of voters are close to resuming their normal life in terms of going out socially, traveling, and interacting with others in person.

Still, pessimism about the pandemic remains high. Just 28%believe the worst is behind us. Forty-five percent (45%) believe the worst is yet to come. That matches the most pessimistic assessment since the vaccines rolled out in January.

Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Biden Job Approval Rebounds Following Speech: 47% Approve, 48% Disapprove

Posted on September 13, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-seven percent (47%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 48% disapprove and 5% are not sure.

The survey, conducted in the two days following the president’s speech announcing new COVID mandates, shows a modest bounce for the president. His approval numbers are up five points from earlier in September and up one from mid-August.

The biggest gains for the president came from voters who prefer traditional Republican policies. Prior to the speech, 26% of these voters approved of the president’s performance. That jumped 14 points to 40% in the latest survey.

However, the president’s numbers improved only two points among Independents.

The current totals include 29% who Strongly Approve and 36% who Strongly Disapprove. These numbers also indicate a bounce for the president.

The president’s speech increased voter enthusiasm for the midterm elections across the board. Those who prefer Trump-like policies remain more motivated to vote than other segments of the population.

The survey found little change on the Generic Congressional Ballot. The parties remain tied among Registered Voters while the GOP has a slight edge among motivated voters.

Data released earlier showed that Democratic voters see supporters of Donald Trump and the unvaccinated as the biggest threats facing the nation. Democrats were less likely to express serious concern about the Taliban, China, or Russia (37%).

Among Republicans and Independents, the top three threats are the Taliban, Defund the Police Activists, and China.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Scott Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from September 10-11, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Most respondents were contacted online or via text while 239 were contacted using automated phone polling techniques. Online respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Vice President Harris: 46% Favorable 44% Unfavorable

Posted on September 13, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Vice President Kamala Harris is viewed favorably by 46% of the nation’s voters and unfavorably by 44%. A Scott Rasmussen national survey also found that the four top Congressional leaders are all “underwater” in their ratings

Nancy Pelosi: Favorable 39% Unfavorable 50%
Kevin McCarthy: Favorable 28% Unfavorable 35%
Chuck Schumer: Favorable 36% Unfavorable 39%
Mitch McConnell: Favorable 31% Unfavorable 48%

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted online by Scott Rasmussen on September 8, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

31% Given Biden Good or Excellent Marks for Handling Afghanistan Withdrawal

Posted on September 8, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Thirty-one percent (31%) of voters give President Biden good or excellent marks for handling the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 46% say he did a poor job. In between are rate the president’s performance as just fair.

Sixty percent (60%) of Democrats say the president did a good or excellent job. Just 18% of Independents and 13% of Republicans agree.

The poor marks for the president come despite the fact that 64% of voters approve of the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan. However, most voters (54%) disapprove of removing American troops before all Americans were evacuated. Seventy-four percent (74%) think it’s likely that Americans left behind in Afghanistan will eventually be discovered by the Taliban and tortured or killed.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Scott Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from September 2-5, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Most respondents were contacted online or via text while 151 were contacted using automated phone polling techniques. Online respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Biden Job Approval Drops to 42%

Posted on September 7, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-two percent (42%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 52% disapprove and 5% are not sure.

Biden’s approval rating is down four points two weeks ago, nine points from two months ago and down 13 points from three months ago.

As the president’s ratings decline, 46% of Democrats have come to believe that things would be better today if Senator Bernie Sanders had become president instead of Joe Biden. Just 10% of Democrats disagree and believe things would be worse.

The current totals include 23% who Strongly Approve and 41% who Strongly Disapprove. These results are by far the most negative assessments yet measured for the president.

The president does earn rave reviews from voters with a postgraduate degree. Among those with a masters or a doctorate, 68% offer their approval while only 30% disapprove.

Among all other voters, just 36% approve and 58% disapprove. This includes voters with a bachelor’s degree, some college, and no college.

The gap between those with a postgraduate degree and the rest of the nation is found on a variety of issues. For example, among all voters, 34% agree that “The only way to save the planet is for the government to impose strict mandates and regulations on the way people live and the amount of energy they use.” Most (57%) disagree.

But things look different among those with high levels of formal education. Most voters with a postgraduate degree (55%) agree that, to save the planet, there is a need for strict government rules on lifestyles and energy use. However, by a 61% to 30% margin, all other voters reject that view.

It is likely that the president’s numbers will rebound somewhat as the withdrawal from Afghanistan moves further behind us. However, there is no way to tell at this moment how fully his approval ratings will recover. Presidents Obama and Trump both spent most of their first term with Job Approval ratings below 50%.

In addition to Afghanistan and the Southern border, pessimism about the pandemic is growing again. Just 25% of voters believe the worst is behind us. That’s down 31 points over the past three months and the lowest level of optimism measured since the vaccines became available.

On the policy front, 57% of voters believe that shutting down businesses and locking down society did more harm than good.

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Methodology

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

46% of Dems Think Things Would Be Better If Sanders was President; 10% Think Things Would Be Worse

Posted on September 2, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-six percent (46%) of Democrats believe that things would be better today if Senator Bernie Sanders had become president instead of Joe Biden. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that only 10% of Democrats disagree and believe things would be worse with a President Sanders. Thirty-seven percent (37%) believe things would be about the same.

Among all voters, 29% think things would be better, 24% say worse, and 37% about the same.

The survey also found that 41% of voters nationwide think it’s likely Sanders could have defeated President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. However, 46% consider it unlikely and 13% are not sure.

Those figures include 19% who think it’s Very Likely Sanders could have defeated Trump and 22% who say Not at All Likely.

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Methodology

The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Scott Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from August 26-29, 2021. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Most respondents were contacted online or via text while 236 were contacted using automated phone polling techniques. Online respondents were selected from a list of Registered Voters and through a process of Random Digital Engagement. Certain quotas were applied, and the sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.

The margin of sampling error for the full sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points.

Biden Approval Down to 46% Amidst Concerns About Afghanistan, Immigration, and the Pandemic

Posted on August 26, 2021 | by Scott Rasmussen

Forty-six percent (46%) of voters nationwide now approve of the way President Biden is performing his job. A Scott Rasmussen national survey found that 46% disapprove and 7% are not sure.

Biden’s approval rating is down five points from a month ago and down nine points from two months ago.

The current totals include 22% who Strongly Approve and 35% who Strongly Disapprove. That is by far the most negative assessments yet measured for the president.

One major challenge for the president is that just 45% of voters have confidence in the ability of the Biden Administration to keep America safe. Following the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, 49% of all voters believe that our enemies view us as weaker than before. Just 21% disagree.

As a result, 59% think a major terrorist attack in the U.S. is somewhat or very likely within the next year.

The situation at the Southern border may also be a factor in the general lack of confidence. Just 28% of voters believe the federal government today is seriously trying to secure the border and reduce illegal immigration. There is a strong belief that many of those crossing the border illegally are drug dealers, human traffickers, and more.

Adding to the president’s burden, pessimism about the pandemic is growing again. Just 25% of voters believe the worst is behind us. That’s down 31 points over the past three months and the lowest level of optimism measured since the vaccines became available.

On the policy front, 57% of voters believe that shutting down businesses and locking down society did more harm than good.

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