Now 66% of Americans disapprove of Biden’s economic record, new poll shows

A significant majority of Americans disapprove of how President Joe Biden is handling the United States economy while nearly eight in 10 rate its condition as poor, a Wednesday poll shows.

Just 23 percent of people said the economy was ‘somewhat good,’ according to the CNN/SSRS survey taken between April 28 and May 1. A measly 2 percent rated it ‘very good.’

A 55-percent majority also said they believe the president’s policies have worsened economic conditions in the US 

The latest reflection of Americans’ frustration with Democrats like Biden — roughly six months ahead of November’s midterm elections — comes against the backdrop of decades-high inflation that’s outpacing even record wage growth as the economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The cost of consumer goods rose a nationwide average of 8.5 percent in March, according to the most recently available Labor Department statistics, the highest since 1981. 

It’s been compounded by Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, now in its seventy-first day. 

Last month’s inflation report, the first full picture of the war’s effect on the global supply chain, shows prices at the pump skyrocketed 49 percent. 

Wednesday’s poll shows a whopping 77 percent of American voters believe the economy is poor — split between 47 percent who say it’s ‘somewhat poor’ and 30 percent who rated the economy as ‘very poor.’ 

And as the cost of everything from rent, to energy, to food grows, so does voters’ impatience with Biden. 

The president’s disapproval rating hit an all-time high of 59 percent in the new poll, a slight uptick from the 58 percentage points in CNN’s previous poll taken January 10 through February 6.

The new survey suggests Americans both disapprove of Biden’s handling of the economy and rate it a top issue in the country — roughly six months before November’s midterm elections

Voters’ economic unease could potentially be a significant roadblock in Democrats’ efforts to retain control of Congress in November

It’s just one of several issues like immigration and the middle class that survey respondents are dissatisfied with Biden over

It’s 18 points higher than Biden’s initial disapproval rating of 41 percent in the outlet’s first poll of his White House taken March 3 through 8.

Biden’s approval rating remained steady from the last survey at 41 percent. The figure is the lowest number of support he’s seen across CNN’s eight polls of the Biden administration. 

Americans’ financial discomfort could be a big roadblock to Democrats’ efforts to keep control of Congress in November. 

The economy ranks at the top of what issues voters find most important in the upcoming midterms, with 50 percent rating it as the top issue.

It’s a staggering 14-point jump from the same question being asked in November 2021. 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, also contributing to soaring food and gas costs, comes in at a distant second with 14 percent of respondents calling the war their main concern.

And Americans who answered the Wednesday survey are dissatisfied with how Biden is handling that, too. 

The consumer price index increased 8.5% in March from a year ago, a 41-year high

Fifty-four percent of voters said they disapprove of how Biden is navigating the situation in Ukraine, while 46 percent approve, despite multiple past surveys indicating Americans are in-line with Biden’s Russian energy import ban and push to send more aid to Kyiv, among other issues. 

And as the country braces for the rollback of COVID-era expulsion policy Title 42 bringing a surge of migrants attempting to cross the border, 66 percent of people said they disapprove of Biden’s handling of immigration.

Just 34 percent said they approved.

When it comes to helping the middle class, 64 percent indicated they were unhappy with the president’s efforts, despite his decades of cultivating a blue collar Democrat identity. 

Biden does, however, remain in voters’ good graces when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic. His numbers on the issue have for the most part stayed favorable even as opinions on his foreign and financial policies tanked. 

Fifty-one percent said they approve of how Biden is handling the pandemic, compared to 48 percent who disapprove. 

An overall question on how ‘well things are going in the country today’ shows a bleak general outlook — 68 percent of Americans said ‘pretty badly’ while just 32 percent said things were going ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ well. 

The poll surveyed a representative sample of 1,007 people.