President Biden’s approval rating has seen a slight increase, with voters giving him higher marks for his handling of the economy and jobs, according to a recent poll. The Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll survey revealed that Biden’s approval rating stood at 45 percent, a slight uptick from the 44 percent recorded in October. In September, his approval rating was at 42 percent.
The survey also found that 44 percent of respondents approved of Biden’s handling of the economy, up from 41 percent the previous month. Similarly, 50 percent of those polled approved of his efforts to stimulate job growth, compared to 49 percent in October. Respondents also gave Biden a 1 percentage-point increase in his ratings for his handling of foreign affairs, administering the government, reacting to COVID-19, dealing with violence and crime, and managing the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The increase in Biden’s ratings coincides with a more positive sentiment among voters about the economy. The poll showed that 42 percent of voters believe the U.S. economy is strong, the highest figure since February. Additionally, 30 percent stated that their personal financial situation is improving, up 6 points since July. Furthermore, 47 percent expressed optimism about their future in the next year, a 4 percent increase from the previous month.
However, there are still lingering questions about whether these positive ratings will translate into enough support for Biden to secure a second term. Mark Penn, the co-director of the Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll, pointed out concerns about Biden’s age and dissatisfaction with his presidency that he has yet to address.
The Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll was conducted from November 15 to November 16 and involved 2,851 registered voters. It is a collaborative effort between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University and the Harris Poll. The survey was conducted online and weighted to reflect known demographics. As an online sample, it does not provide a probability confidence interval.
