US Midterm Elections D-1...Biden Approval Rating Falls Below 40%

U.S. President Joe Biden. (Photo by EPA) [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] A day before the U.S. midterm elections, a poll showed President Joe Biden's approval rating falling below 40%.

According to major foreign media on the 7th (local time), polling agency Ipsos conducted a survey from the 5th to 6th among 1,004 adults nationwide in the U.S. (424 Democrats and 390 Republicans) with a margin of error of ±4 percentage points, revealing that President Biden's approval rating dropped by 1 percentage point from the previous week to 39%.

In this survey, about 35% of respondents identified the 'economy' as the biggest issue facing the United States. One in every 15 respondents cited 'abortion,' which the Democratic Party promised to legislate after the midterm elections.

Foreign media analyzed that dissatisfaction with repeated austerity measures and high inflation coinciding with the midterm elections has surfaced, creating an unfavorable electoral environment for the Democratic Party.

President Biden's approval rating has generally not escaped a downward trend since his inauguration in January last year, and amid the Ukraine war, soaring inflation, and recession concerns, his approval rating fell to 36% in May and June.

Subsequently, driven by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and abortion law issues, his approval rating rebounded in July but remained stuck in the low 40% range without further recovery.

As President Biden's approval rating remains stagnant, expectations for the Republican Party are rising. The University of Virginia's Center for Politics predicted that the Republicans are likely to take control of the House in this midterm election and secure 24 seats in the Senate, gaining an advantage there as well.

The midterm elections held on the 8th will involve voting for all 435 House members and 35 Senate members. Since it is held at the end of President Biden's second year in office, it carries significance as an evaluation of the administration.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.