Biden approval rating jumps from 36 to 45 percent in AP-NORC poll

President Biden’s approval rating jumped 9 percentage points in an Associated Press-NORC poll released Thursday as he and Democrats ride a wave of legislative wins and a drop in gas prices ahead of November’s pivotal midterm elections.

The poll found Biden’s approval rating sits at 45 percent, a spike of 9 percentage points from July. While Biden’s approval is still lower than it was for much of his first year in office, the AP poll is the latest survey to show more voters are happy with his performance.

Congress in August passed bipartisan bills to boost investments in semiconductor chip manufacturing and to provide aid to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits while serving. Democrats also passed a $750 billion bill to address climate change and lower prescription drug costs.

The AP poll also found that 27 percent of Americans believe the country is headed in the right direction, up from 17 percent in July. And 46 percent of Democrats said they feel positive about the state of the country, up from 31 percent in July.

Still, Biden faces questions from voters on his handling of the economy, according to the poll. Just 29 percent of respondents said the economy is in good shape, compared to 71 percent who said it’s doing poorly. Those numbers are marginally better for Biden than July, when 20 percent said conditions were good.

Underscoring the challenge Biden faces on the economy, data released Tuesday from the consumer price index showed inflation rose 0.1 percent in August, a relatively small increase dampened in part by plunging gas prices. Even so, prices for food, medical care and other basic needs rose at much faster rates, triggering a brutal stock market plunge and Wall Street’s worst day of losses in two years.

Biden and other officials have argued the economy is in good shape, pointing to strong unemployment numbers and declining gas prices.

The AP poll surveyed 1,054 adults from Sept. 9 to 12. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

Increased improvement in Biden’s approval rating would be a boost for Democrats, who are seeking to maintain narrow majorities in the House and Senate. Biden has ramped up his travel in recent weeks, but candidates in tight races have been split over whether to appear alongside the president.