Poll: Congress’ Approval Rating 11 Percent, Republicans Least Likely to Approve

Congress’ job approval rating is at its lowest level of the year to date, according to a new Gallup poll.

Gallup reports that American’s current job approval rating of Congress is 11 percent, just two points higher than the record low hit in 2013. And although the GOP controls both chambers, Republicans are also the least likely to have a positive opinion of the legislative body.

While just 11 percent approve, a whopping 86 percent of Americans disapprove of Congress, a figure that Gallup says ties the 41-year record matched in November 2013 and two other times.

The poll of 1,021 adults was taken from November 4-8, days after House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) took over as Speaker and Congress passed a massive budget agreement.

The recent budget compromise left many Republicans with a bad taste and continued frustration with the party’s leadership. Gallup cites that frustration as a reason for Republicans’ less positive view of Congress in comparison to Democrats.

According to the poll just 8 percent of Republicans approve of Congress, while 11 percent of Democrats and 13 percent of independents approve — a surprising result as for the party in power.

Gallup reports that Republicans’ negative view is “a recent development” as, after the GOP took control of the Senate earlier in the year, the breakdown was more representative of past results with Republicans approving the most (at 27 percent) with independents (18 percent) and Democrats (17 percent) trailing.

“But in the spring and early summer months, Republicans’ views began to sour, as the party made little progress in achieving its legislative goals,” Gallup reports. “Those views got worse through the summer and early fall — by July, only 11% of Republicans approved of Congress, and their approval since then has slipped further to 8%.”

“Since July, Democrats’ and independents’ ratings have been consistently higher than Republicans’, although Democrats and independents also view Congress quite negatively,” it adds.