Joe Biden Administration Approval Ratings (17 October 2021)

October 21, 2021
R&WS Research Team
Approval Rating | Donald Trump | Joe Biden | Kamala Harris | US Elections | US Politics | US Presidential Election 2024 | US Public Figures

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The latest research by Redfield & Wilton Strategies finds that 43% of Americans approve and 39% disapprove of President Joe Biden’s overall job performance as President. His net approval rating, at +4%, is four points lower than our polling on 10 October, when 45% approved and 37% disapproved of Biden’s performance. 

Vice President Kamala Harris’ net approval rating has dipped marginally into the negatives, at -1%—a two-point decrease from two weeks ago. In our latest poll, 38% disapprove (no change) and 37% approve (down 2%) of Kamala Harris’ performance as Vice President, with a further 18% neither approving nor disapproving (up 3%).

With respect to the overall Joe Biden Administration, Americans give the Administration a neutral net competency rating of 0%, a four-point increase from our polling two weeks ago. In total, 38% think the current Biden Administration is competent (up 2%), 38% think it is incompetent (down 2%), and 12% think it is neither competent nor incompetent (no change). 

On matters of policy, Americans remain by far the most satisfied with the Joe Biden Administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. With 50% approving and 32% disapproving of the Administration’s performance on the pandemic, respondents give a net approval rating of +18% in this regard, having increased by four points in the past two weeks. The Biden Administration also receives a positive net approval rating of +7% (up 3%) for its environmental policies.

In all other policy areas, Americans give the current American Administration negative net approval ratings. These ratings range from -1% on economic policies (up 2%) and -2% on unemployment policies (down 1%) to -7% on relations with China (up 4%) and -18% on immigration (down 2%).

Looking ahead to the 2024 Presidential Election, healthcare is the top issue that Americans say will determine how they will vote in the election. When asked to select up to three issues that are most likely to determine how they vote in 2024, 46% select healthcare, 35% select unemployment and wages, 30% select immigration, 28% select the environment, and 26% select Government spending as determinative election issues.

Healthcare (60%) is the most-selected option for 2020 Joe Biden voters, followed by the environment (43%) and unemployment and wages (34%). Meanwhile, for 2020 Donald Trump voters, the most popular 2024 election issues are immigration (49%), Government spending (39%), and unemployment and wages (37%).

In our hypothetical voting intention polling for the 2024 Presidential Election, 42% say they will vote for Joe Biden (down 1%) and 40% say they will vote for Donald Trump (down 1%) if they are the candidates in 2024, after weighting by likelihood to vote. A further 12% say they don’t know how they would vote (down 1%).

Large majorities of 2020 Donald Trump voters (87%, down 1%) and Joe Biden voters (85%, no change) maintain that they would again vote for those respective candidates.

To find out more information about this research contact our research team. Redfield & Wilton Strategies is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Follow us on Twitter

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