Biden Struggles to Gain Approval for Economic Performance as He Promotes ‘Bidenomics’

President Joe Biden faced a difficult task on Wednesday as he tried to convince the American public that the U.S. economy is thriving. As he prepared to deliver a speech in Chicago highlighting his economic policies, a recent poll revealed that only 34% of U.S. adults approve of his handling of the economy. This figure is even lower than his overall approval rating of 41%, according to a survey conducted by The Big Big News-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Biden’s approval ratings have remained relatively stagnant for the past year and a half, which is concerning for a president seeking reelection based on his ability to govern effectively and make a positive impact on the middle class and the nation’s economy. He wants voters to connect the new infrastructure projects, factory construction, and the rise of electric vehicles and renewable energy to the initiatives he has signed into law during the first two years of his administration.

In addition to these challenges, Biden is facing doubts from voters about his economic policies, despite his eagerness to run on his economic agenda, known as “Bidenomics.” The president’s approval within his own party is also not as strong as expected, with only 60% of Democrats approving of his handling of the economy compared to 72% approving of his overall job performance.

In contrast, during the height of the pandemic when unemployment rates soared, Republicans overwhelmingly approved of then-President Donald Trump’s economic leadership. Currently, only about 10% of Republicans approve of Biden’s overall performance or his handling of the economy, highlighting the deep polarization in modern U.S. politics.

Some voters who supported Biden in the 2020 election still have reservations about his economic record. They view him as a president dealing with partisan divisions, global competition, and the aftermath of the pandemic. While they acknowledge that Biden is doing his best given the circumstances, they also believe that the economic challenges are not solely his responsibility.

The administration is making an effort to support Biden’s speech with data-driven arguments. The Treasury Department released an analysis showing a significant increase in spending on factory-related construction since 2021, and White House economists presented a report demonstrating that inflation in the U.S. is lower compared to other industrialized nations in the Group of Seven.

Biden’s allies hope that his speech and the subsequent tour across the country by the president and his Cabinet can raise awareness of his policies and improve Democrats’ perception of the economy. They recognize that many Americans still hold negative views about the economy but point out that the economic data was even worse last November when Democrats achieved unexpected success in the midterm elections.

Biden’s aides are encouraged by data indicating that consistent messaging from multiple sources can change Americans’ opinions. Over the next three weeks, the president and his Cabinet aim to reinforce Biden’s accomplishments and contrast them with Republican proposals to reverse those initiatives, with the hope that these messages will resonate with voters in the 2024 election.

The poll, conducted from June 22 to 26, surveyed 1,220 adults and utilized a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, designed to represent the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is approximately 3.9 percentage points.

AP White House Correspondent Zeke Miller contributed to this report.

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• Poll: Just 34% approve of Biden’s handling of the economy
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