President Joe Biden is seeing dour approval ratings on a range of key issues ahead of his first 2024 debate against former President Donald Trump, the latest weekly surveys from the Economist/YouGov found.
Biden’s overall approval rating as president is underwater, as 58 percent disapprove of his handling his job as president, compared to 36 percent who approve. Of the 58 percent who disapprove, 44 percent do so “strongly.”
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Biden’s approval ratings are negative on several individual issues as well — many of which are at the forefront of Americans’ minds ahead of the election. On jobs and the economy, for example, most, 54 percent, disapprove of his handling of those issues. Another 38 percent approve, giving him a net negative of -16 percent.
The Economist and YouGov’s survey of issues released last week showed Biden with even worse results on the issue of immigration; 58 percent disapprove and 33 percent approve, putting him 25 points underwater on that issue. Notably, independents greatly disapprove of his handling of immigration — 60 percent disapproved and 25 percent approve.
This trend is consistent on several other issues as well, per the last two surveys over the past two weeks:
Foreign Policy
53 percent disapprove
35 percent approve
National Security
50 percent disapprove
37 percent approve
Education
45 percent disapprove
39 percent approve
Crime
53 percent disapprove
42 percent approve
Criminal Justice Reform
49 percent disapprove
33 percent approve
Inflation/Prices
60 percent disapprove
31 percent approve
Climate Change/Environment
45 percent disapprove
39 percent approve
Taxes and Government Spending
57 percent disapprove
32 percent approve
Abortion
47 percent disapprove
35 percent approve
Civil liberties
44 percent disapprove
37 percent approve
Guns
53 percent disapprove
32 percent approve
The survey taken this week showed inflation/prices and immigration as the top two issues to Americans. The polls were taken June 16 – 18, 2024, and June 23-25, 2024.
These consistent net negatives come one week ahead of Biden’s showdown against Trump at the June 27 debate, hosted by CNN in Atlanta. According to reports, Biden is at Camp David in Maryland for what amounted to a full week of preparing. Ron Klain, Biden’s former chief of staff, reportedly led the debate camp preparations, according to reports.
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