- President Joe Biden's approval rating fell eight points among independents, according to the November Gallup poll
- It hit a new low of 27 percent, while its overall approval rating remained at 37 percent, tying for the lowest
- Only 24 percent of independents approved of Biden's handling of the economy
President Joe Biden's approval rating fell eight points among independents in November, hitting a new low of 27 percent. Gallup has found.
Pollsters called the 81-year-old's low numbers “striking” because independents are an important group that needs to exert influence to win a presidential election.
Overall, Biden's approval rating remained at 37 percent, tied for the lowest, with disapproval at 59 percent.
In November, Biden was rated worst for his handling of the situation in the Middle East between the Israelis and the Palestinians, the economy and, more broadly, foreign affairs.
Of Americans polled by Gallup, only 32 percent approved of Biden's handling of each of the three issues.
President Joe Biden, pictured in the Oval Office on Thursday, has seen his approval rating among independents drop eight points to a new low of just 27 percent, the November Gallup poll showed
The president has gained some ground among members of his own party, as his rating among Democrats is back to 83 percent, but the 27 percent among independents is concerning because they are an important group that must exert influence to win a presidential election.
The Democratic president received slightly higher marks, 38 percent, when asked about his handling of the war in Ukraine.
He received a 40 percent approval rating when asked about his handling of the health care system.
Biden has made gains among Democrats since Gallup's poll in October.
In October, 75 percent of Democrats approved of the job Biden was doing.
In November, that number rose to 83 percent.
However, Biden's overall approval number remained the same as it lost independent support.
When independents were asked about certain issues, Biden didn't get more than 35 percent approval on any issue — and most of his numbers were in the 20s.
Since World War II, Biden has the lowest approval ratings of any president this quarter, aside from Democrat Jimmy Carter, who lost his re-election bid in 1980. Former President Donald Trump had slightly higher approval ratings this quarter and he also lost his re-election bid.
On health care, 35 percent of independents approved, while 31 percent of independents approved of his handling of the war in Ukraine.
On foreign affairs, 28 percent of independents agreed, and on the situation in the Middle East, 25 percent of independents agreed.
His lowest numbers among independents came from his handling of the economy — often the No. 1 election issue — with just 24 percent saying they approved of the job Biden was doing.
And Democrats were skeptical of his handling of the Middle East crisis, with just 60 percent saying they approved, compared to 78 percent who approved of Biden's handling of the Ukraine war.
The president remains on “historically dangerous ground,” as Gallup put it, as he fights for a second term.
On average, Biden's approval rating this quarter is 40 percent, higher than that of President Jimmy Carter, who failed to win re-election in 1980.
The Democrat's average approval rating is slightly lower than that of former President Donald Trump, who also failed to win a second term when he ran against Biden in 2020.