Skip to Content

Biden Receives High Marks On Pandemic, Low Score On Mexican Border Situation, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Infrastructure Plan Is More Popular If Corporate Taxes Fund It

As President Joe Biden approaches his 100th day in office, he receives a positive 48 - 42 percent job approval rating, with 10 percent not offering an opinion in a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll of adults released today. This compares to a February 17th poll when 50 percent approved, 38 percent disapproved, and 13 percent didn't offer an opinion.

In today's poll, Democrats approve 94 - 4 percent, Republicans disapprove 87 - 6 percent, and 45 percent of independents disapprove, while 40 percent approve.

BIDEN ON ISSUES & TRAITS

On President Biden's handling of six issues, the president receives positive scores on three, with the coronavirus response ranking at the top. He receives negative scores on his handling of the situation at the Mexican border and gun policy, and a mixed score on taxes. On Biden's handling of ...

  • the response to the coronavirus: 64 percent of Americans approve, 29 percent disapprove, with 7 percent not offering an opinion;
  • the economy: 50 percent of Americans approve, 42 percent disapprove, with 8 percent not offering an opinion;
  • climate change: 48 percent of Americans approve, 35 percent disapprove, with 17 percent not offering an opinion;
  • taxes: 45 percent of Americans approve, 42 percent disapprove, with 13 percent not offering an opinion;
  • gun policy: 39 percent of Americans approve, 49 percent disapprove, with 11 percent not offering an opinion;
  • the situation at the Mexican border: 29 percent of Americans approve, 55 percent disapprove, with 15 percent not offering an opinion.
"Though he gets generally positive numbers on his domestic strides as he nears his first 100 days in office, the president is confronting the same political quagmire south of the border that bedeviled his predecessor. The border with Mexico, and the people trying to cross it, loom as a familiar crisis," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

A slight majority of Americans (52 - 44 percent) say that Biden has good leadership skills, and a similar number say 51 - 42 percent that Biden is honest. Nearly six in ten, 58 - 37 percent, say that he cares about average Americans.

A slim majority of Americans say 51 - 41 percent that Biden is doing more to unite the country than divide it.

INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN

A plurality of Americans (44 - 38 percent) support President Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure plan, while 19 percent did not offer an opinion.

However, support grows for the infrastructure plan if it is funded by raising taxes on corporations, as Biden has proposed. In that scenario, a majority support the infrastructure plan 53 - 39 percent, with 9 percent not offering an opinion.

"The president's infrastructure bill, a $2 trillion national makeover, gets a lukewarm go ahead from Americans, but a warmer reception when the suggestion that big corporations, not taxpayers, should be forced to front the funding," added Malloy.

TAXES & SPENDING

Over 6 in 10 Americans (62 percent) support raising taxes on corporations, while 31 percent oppose it. A similar number support raising taxes on people earning more than $400,000 a year, 64 - 31 percent.

President Biden has said he will not raise taxes on people earning less than $400,000 a year. When it comes to believing Biden, 48 percent of Americans say he will raise taxes on people earning less than $400,000 a year, while 44 percent say he will not.

When it comes to general views on spending, 48 percent say the Biden administration wants to spend too much money, 37 percent say it wants to spend the right amount, and 8 percent say it wants to spend too little.

CONGRESS

Republicans in Congress receive a negative 27 - 63 percent job approval rating among all adults, while Democrats in Congress receive a negative 43 - 49 percent job approval rating.

COVID-19

In this survey, conducted before federal health officials called for a pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, more than one-quarter of Americans (27 percent) say they do not plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Roughly two-thirds (68 percent) say they have either already been vaccinated or plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Republicans show the most hesitancy out of all listed groups toward getting a COVID-19 vaccine with 45 percent saying they do not plan to receive one, and 50 percent saying they've either gotten one already or plan to get one.

"About one-quarter of American adults already aren't planning on getting a COVID-19 vaccine - but will the J&J vaccine announcement increase that number? Only time will tell," added Malloy.

Americans are concerned 57 - 41 percent about another surge in COVID-19 cases, and say 53 - 45 percent that all states should have a mandatory mask order in place.

A large majority of Americans (65 percent) say that it is safe for students to attend elementary, middle, or high schools in person, while 29 percent say it is unsafe.

On whether they would feel safe or unsafe in particular situations, Americans say:

  • 52 - 47 percent that they would feel safe dining indoors at restaurants operating at full capacity;
  • 51 - 46 percent that they would feel unsafe getting on an airplane in which all of the seats are occupied;
  • 56 - 41 percent that they would feel unsafe going to a large sports or entertainment event operating at full capacity.

Just under half of Americans (49 percent) say that they think that a credential or vaccine passport to prove an individual has been vaccinated is a good idea, while 45 percent say it is a bad idea.

Fifty percent of Americans oppose businesses requiring their employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, while 45 percent support the idea. Americans are split on whether or not universities should require their students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, with 49 percent supporting it and 48 percent opposing it.

Looking back over the past year, three-quarters of Americans (75 percent) say they think that while some of the deaths from COVID-19 were inevitable, many could have been avoided. Only 17 percent say the number of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. over the past year was inevitable.

THE ECONOMY

Americans are split on their views of the economy, with 35 percent saying it's getting better, 34 percent saying it's getting worse, and 30 percent saying it's staying about the same.

However, when it comes to their own financial future, 68 percent of Americans are optimistic while 26 percent are pessimistic.

1,237 U.S. adults nationwide were surveyed from April 8th - 12th with a margin of error of +/- 2.8 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.

Poll Questions