Biden approval with independents at 29%, GOP voters more enthusiastic: poll

A recent survey shows President Joe Biden's approval rating among independents to be at an extraordinarily low level while Republican voters show more enthusiasm to vote ahead of the midterms.

Biden's approval rating with independents stood at 29% in the latest Economist/YouGov survey. Of that figure, 9% strongly approved of his job performance with a further 20% somewhat approving. A solid majority of 59% of independents disapproved of Biden. Overall, the president drew a 41% approval and 51% disapproval. His approval rose to 43% among registered voters, though his disapproval remains the same.

Independents also favored Republicans in a generic ballot, with 36% backing the GOP to 29% who supported the Democrats. Republican voter enthusiasm outperformed their primary rivals 48% to 39%. A further 67% of Republicans said they would definitely vote compared to 60% of Democrats.

The poll, conducted Sept. 3-6, appears to buck the narrative of rising Democratic momentum. A number of polls in late August began to show Biden and his party making gains ahead of the midterms, but some notable surveys, including a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, appear to show that momentum fizzling out.