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Biden Approval Hits New Low Amid Public Discontent With Both Parties, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Nearly Half Of Americans Worry About Being Mass Shooting Victim

One and a half years since President Joe Biden took office, Americans give President Biden a negative 31 - 60 percent job approval rating, the lowest score of his presidency, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea- ack) University national poll of adults released today.

Republicans (94 - 2 percent) and independents (67 - 23 percent) disapprove, while Democrats approve (71 - 18 percent).

Registered voters give President Biden a negative 33 - 59 percent job approval rating, his lowest approval rating among registered voters in a Quinnipiac University national poll.

Americans were asked about President Biden's handling of...

  • the response to the coronavirus: 50 percent approve, while 43 percent disapprove;
  • the response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine: 40 percent approve, while 52 percent disapprove;
  • foreign policy: 36 percent approve, while 55 percent disapprove;
  • gun violence: 32 percent approve, while 61 percent disapprove;
  • the economy: 28 percent approve, while 66 percent disapprove.

CONGRESS & SUPREME COURT

Americans give Republicans in Congress a negative 23 - 68 percent job approval rating, which is a new high on disapproval during Biden's presidency in a Quinnipiac University poll.

Americans give Democrats in Congress a negative 30 - 63 percent job approval rating.

Americans give the Supreme Court a negative 37 - 56 percent job approval rating. Registered voters give the Supreme Court a negative 39 - 55 percent job approval rating, which is the highest disapproval among registered voters since Quinnipiac University began asking the question in 2004.

"Americans send a message that echoes through the High Court and the Halls of Congress: You are not getting the job done. The Republicans hit a new high on disapproval, the Democrats fare little better, and SCOTUS is met with unprecedented disapproval," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

MIDTERMS

Among registered voters, if the election were held today, 45 percent say they would want to see the Democratic Party win control of the United States House of Representatives, while 44 percent say the Republican Party, and 11 percent did not offer an opinion. In Quinnipiac University's June 8, 2022 poll, 46 percent of registered voters said the Republican Party, while 41 percent said the Democratic Party, and 13 percent did not offer an opinion.

Voters are evenly split on which party they would want to see win control of the United States Senate with 45 percent saying the Democratic Party, 45 percent saying the Republican Party, and 10 percent not offering an opinion. This compares to Quinnipiac University's May 18, 2022 poll when 48 percent of registered voters said the Republican Party, 44 percent said the Democratic Party, and 8 percent did not offer an opinion.

BIDEN, TRUMP AND 2024

Roughly 7 in 10 Americans (71 percent) say they would not like to see Joe Biden run for president in 2024, while 24 percent say they would like to see him seek a second term. Among Democrats, 54 percent say they would not like to see Biden run in 2024, while 40 percent say they would.

More than 6 in 10 Americans (64 percent) say they would not like to see Donald Trump run for president in 2024, while 32 percent say they would like to see him run. Among Republicans, 69 percent say they would like to see Trump run in 2024, while 27 percent say they would not.

"There's scant enthusiasm for a replay of either a Trump or Biden presidency. But while Trump still holds sway on his base, President Biden is underwater when it comes to support from his own party," added Malloy.

Americans were also asked whether they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of potential 2024 presidential candidates...

  • Joe Biden: 35 percent favorable, 58 percent unfavorable, 5 percent haven't heard enough about him;
  • Donald Trump: 37 percent favorable, 55 percent unfavorable, 4 percent haven't heard enough about him;
  • Kamala Harris: 26 percent favorable, 50 percent unfavorable, 22 percent haven't heard enough about her;
  • Ron DeSantis: 31 percent favorable, 32 percent unfavorable, 35 percent haven't heard enough about him.

MOST URGENT ISSUE

Asked to choose the most urgent issue facing the country today, inflation (34 percent) ranks first followed by gun violence (12 percent). No other issue reached double digits.

Among Republicans, inflation (48 percent) ranks first followed by immigration (16 percent) with no other issue reaching double digits.

Among Democrats, gun violence (22 percent) ranks first followed by abortion (14 percent), inflation (14 percent), election laws (12 percent), and climate change (11 percent).

Among independents, inflation (41 percent) ranks first with no other issue reaching double digits.

Two-thirds of Americans (67 percent) say the country is worse off today than it was a year ago, while 26 percent say the country is better off and 4 percent volunteer that it is the same.

GUN VIOLENCE

Nearly half of Americans (47 percent) personally worry about being the victim of a mass shooting, while 52 percent do not. There are big differences by population density, race, and gender.

Fifty-four percent of people living in cities and 50 percent of people living in suburbs personally worry about being the victim of a mass shooting. This compares to 33 percent of people living in rural areas saying they worry.

More than 7 in 10 Black adults (72 percent) personally worry about being the victim of a mass shooting, while 53 percent of Hispanic adults and 42 percent of white adults say they worry.

Nearly 6 in 10 women (58 percent) personally worry about being the victim of a mass shooting compared to 35 percent of men saying they worry.

"Imagine waking up every morning worried that you might be targeted in a mass killing. Nearly half of your fellow Americans say they live with that fear every day," added Malloy.

Nearly half of Americans (49 percent) support a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons, while 45 percent oppose it.

Americans give Republicans in Congress a negative 22 - 68 percent approval rating on their handling of gun violence.

Americans give Democrats in Congress a negative 27 - 65 percent approval rating on their handling of gun violence.

Forty-three percent of Americans think tighter restrictions on people buying and owning guns would decrease gun violence, while 10 percent think it would increase gun violence and 44 percent think it wouldn't make a difference.

JANUARY 6 HEARINGS

When asked how closely they are following news about the work of the January 6 congressional committee investigating the storming of the U.S. Capitol, 28 percent of Americans say very closely, 33 percent say somewhat closely, 16 percent say not so closely, and 21 percent say not closely at all. This is similar to results from Quinnipiac University's June 22, 2022 poll.

More than half of Americans (55 percent) think it is very important for Congress to hold hearings so that the public can learn what led to the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, an increase from Quinnipiac University's June 22, 2022 poll when it was 49 percent. In today's poll, 15 percent of Americans think it is somewhat important, 8 percent think it is not so important, and 20 percent think it is not important at all.

Nearly half of Americans (48 percent) think former President Donald Trump committed a crime with his efforts to change the results of the 2020 presidential election, while 44 percent think he did not. This compares to Quinnipiac University's June 22, 2022 poll when 46 percent thought he committed a crime and 47 percent thought he did not.

Nearly 4 in 10 Americans (37 percent) say the January 6 hearings made them think that former President Trump had a bigger role in the storming of the U.S. Capitol than they previously thought, while 9 percent say the hearings made them think he had a smaller role than they previously thought, and 46 percent say the hearings have not impacted their thinking on Trump's role in the storming of the U.S. Capitol.

1,523 U.S. adults nationwide were surveyed from July 14th - 18th with a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points. The survey included 1,367 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 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.

Visit poll.qu.edu or www.facebook.com/quinnipiacpoll

Email poll@qu.edu, or follow us on Twitter @QuinnipiacPoll.

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