In a new Hill-HarrisX survey, President Joe Biden earned the approval of 60 percent of overall respondents — placing him yet again far ahead of average public approval of Donald Trump when he was still in office as president. In the new survey, just 40 percent of overall respondents indicated that they disapprove of Biden’s performance as president. During his presidency, Trump never hit an overall public approval level of 50 percent in FiveThirtyEight’s weighted average of relevant polls.
In the new Hill-HarrisX poll, Biden also earned high levels of overall approval for his handling of specific issues, including COVID-19 and the economy. Overall, 68 percent of respondents backed Biden’s handling of the pandemic, while 59 percent expressed approval for his handling of the economy. At present, the Biden administration is pushing infrastructure spending plans that, if enacted, would lead to the creation of high numbers of accessible jobs around the country. Biden has sought to expand broadband internet access, support repairs and updates to infrastructure like roads and bridges, and more.
The high levels of overall public approval for Biden suggest that Democrats could do considerably well in the upcoming midterm elections. Control of both chambers of Congress will be at stake in those elections, with Democrats currently hanging on to thin control in both the House and Senate. Notable opportunities for Democratic pick-ups of U.S. Senate seats exist in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, where Republican incumbents are retiring and where Democrats have recently been victorious — or gotten very close to victory — in statewide elections.
