President Joe Biden set the record for the lowest approval rating for an incumbent seeking reelection, according to a new poll. The news came as Biden struggles in a number of major polls, including in potential matchups against his 2020 opponent, former President Donald Trump.
The president is entering into his crucial reelection year wit some of the lowest approval ratings in modern American history. An NBC poll showed that Biden’s current approval rating is just 40%, down from 46% at the start of the year.
Furthermore, while 50% of voters disapproved of Biden’s job performance in January, 57% rated it poorly in December.
During a broadcast, MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki said that this was the “lowest in an NBC poll for an incumbent facing a reelection year.”
Biden’s approval ratings are significantly lower than Trump’s during this time. The former president registered a 44% approval rating, while 54% disapproved.
Even worse for the president, the American public is skeptical about his age and fitness for office. According to the same poll, 74% expressed significant concerns about Biden’s ability to effectively serve. Far fewer potential voters registered the same concern about Trump, with only 47% agreeing with the sentiment.
MSNBC's Steve Kornacki: Biden's approval rating is "the lowest NBC poll for an incumbent facing a re-election year" pic.twitter.com/W8MEDKLO77
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 31, 2023
Furthermore, a significant majority of the American public expressed concerns about the president’s potential role in his family’s business dealings. A full 60% expressed such concern as Biden’s son Hunter was charged for allegedly not paying more than $1 million in taxes.
The younger Biden and multiple members of the family reportedly made millions from foreign sources, including from Russia, China and Ukraine.
The president is currently 15% underwater in the RealClearPolitics average of his national approval polls.
This includes two polls taken in December showing that he has 20% more of the public disapproving than approving. In the mid-December Yahoo News poll, he registered a 37% approval rating,with 57% disapproving.
In addition, a CNBC poll from the same month showed the worst results. The president registered a 35% approval rating, while a large 59% of the American public disapproved of his job performance.