Biden sees highest approval in a year in latest Gallup poll

President Biden’s approval rating rose to 44 percent during the month of August in a new Gallup poll, the latest sign of the president recovering some ground amid a series of legislative wins and a steady decline in gasoline prices.  

According to the Gallup poll out Thursday, 44 percent of U.S. adults approve of Biden’s handling of his job as president, a clear improvement after his presidential approval rating hit a record low of 38 percent in July.  

While less than the 57 percent approval he enjoyed upon taking office, according to Gallup, Biden’s current approval rating is his highest in a year. He last registered a result higher than this in August 2021, when 49 percent of respondents said they approved of the job he was doing as commander in chief. 

The Gallup survey is the latest in a string of polls suggesting that Biden is recovering in popularity, after about a year during which his approval rating languished in the low 40s and high 30s amid worries about inflation.  

A Morning Consult-Politico poll released on Wednesday, for instance, found that 43 percent of registered voters approve of Biden’s job performance, whereas 55 percent disapprove; earlier in August, 39 percent said they approved and 59 percent disapproved.  

The Gallup survey polled 1,006 U.S. adults between Aug. 1 and 23, a successful period for the Biden presidency.  

In the past month, Biden saw Democrats in Congress finally pass his climate, health care and tax package. A bill to boost the domestic semiconductor industry also passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support.  

Gas prices have steadily declined, an indication of inflation potentially easing. Biden also announced a successful counterterrorism operation that killed al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan earlier this month.

The uptick in Biden’s approval among voting-age Americans comes at a critical moment as Democrats embark on the final two months of campaigning before the midterm elections.  

There has been a widespread belief that Republicans are likely to win control of at least the House and potentially the Senate, but Biden’s improving poll numbers are likely to offer some new hope to Democrats.  

The president is preparing to promote his accomplishments on the road. The White House on Thursday announcing plans for Biden to travel to Ohio on Sept. 9 to attend the groundbreaking of a new Intel semiconductor facility in Ohio.  

Biden will also appear at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser and rally on Thursday evening to discuss his accomplishments as he seeks to draw a contrast with Republicans.