Four weeks after being sworn into office, President Joe Biden receives a positive job approval rating as Americans approve 50 – 38 percent, with 13 percent not offering an opinion, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN- uh-pe-ack) University national poll of 1,056 adults released today. This is little changed from February 3rd when Americans approved 49 – 36 percent, with 16 percent not offering an opinion.
There are sharp partisan divides with Democrats approving 91 – 2 percent and independents approving 50 – 34 percent, while Republicans disapprove 82 – 11 percent.
When only considering registered voters, Biden’s job approval is 52 – 38 percent. It is nearly the inverse of former President Trump’s negative 38 – 55 percent job approval rating at roughly the same period during his presidency in a February 22, 2017 poll.
“One month in, these are solid, but not particularly dazzling approval numbers for the new president. There may be some solace in the knowledge that his predecessor spent four years in office without getting very close to 50 percent,” said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.
Americans approve 58 – 32 percent of the way Biden is handling the response to the coronavirus. On his handling of the economy, they approve 48 – 39 percent. When it comes to the Biden administration’s handling of the reopening of schools, the public is mixed with 42 percent approving, 38 percent disapproving, and 20 percent not offering an opinion.
REPUBLICANS & DEMOCRATS
Half of Americans (50 percent) say they have a less favorable opinion of the Republican Party compared to a year ago, 37 percent say their opinion is about the same, and 11 percent say their opinion is more favorable.
Roughly one-third (35 percent) say they have a less favorable opinion of the Democratic Party compared to a year ago, 46 percent say their opinion is about the same, and 17 percent say their opinion is more favorable.
LIZ CHENEY & MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE
Americans were also asked about two Republican members of Congress who made headlines in recent weeks. One is Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who came under scrutiny by fellow Republicans for her harsh criticism of former President Trump. The other is Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who was stripped of her leadership posts by the House of Representatives because of her embrace of conspiracy theories and endorsement of violence against Democratic lawmakers on social media before she was elected.
Twenty-seven percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of Liz Cheney, 19 percent say their opinion is unfavorable, and 51 percent say they haven’t heard enough.
Nine percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of Marjorie Taylor Greene, 38 percent say their opinion is unfavorable, and 52 percent say they haven’t heard enough.
Of the decision by the U.S. House of Representatives to remove Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committee assignments, 44 percent of Americans approve, 30 percent disapprove, with 25 percent not offering an opinion.
When asked who is more representative of the Republican Party today, 28 percent say Greene, 25 percent say Cheney, with 47 percent not offering an opinion.
Looking ahead, 45 percent say they would like to see Cheney have a bigger role in the Republican Party, 14 percent say Greene, with 41 percent not offering an opinion.
“Two Republican Congresswomen take political heat with very different outcomes. Rep. Liz Cheney’s stand on impeachment costs her within the GOP but wins over some Democrats. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s vitriolic and specious rhetoric does nothing but cripple her standing as a freshman representative and costs her dearly in the House,” added Malloy.
CONSPIRACY THEORIES
More than 7 in 10 Americans, 73 – 18 percent, say the belief in conspiracy theories in the United States is out of control. Democrats say 87 – 8 percent, independents say 74 – 19 percent, and Republicans say 58 – 27 percent that it’s out of control.
“Fed up with fabricated stories and clearly frightened by the dark and deluded motives of conspiracy theorists, Americans overwhelmingly agree, enough is enough with the pipeline of internet garbage,” added Malloy.
Americans say 86 – 11 percent that they think the words of politicians can pose a danger to Americans. An overwhelming majority hold that view across all listed demographic groups.
COVID-19
Nearly three-quarters of Americans (73 percent) say they are either very confident (26 percent) or somewhat confident (47 percent) that people in their state who want a COVID-19 vaccine will be able to get one by the end of the summer. One quarter (25 percent) say they are either not so confident (16 percent) or not confident at all (9 percent) that this will happen.
Americans say 76 – 18 percent that teachers in all states should be given priority for getting a COVID-19 vaccine. They also say 73 – 22 percent that grocery store workers in all states should be given priority for getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
A plurality of Americans, 47 percent, say the reopening of schools in their community is happening at about the right pace, while 27 percent say not quickly enough, and 18 percent say too quickly.
1,056 U.S. adults nationwide were surveyed from February 11th – 14th with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on random samples of adults using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.