McCarthy approval up to 50% after debt ceiling deal: poll

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is enjoying strong approval ratings after negotiating a compromise debt ceiling plan with President Joe Biden.

The House and Senate approved the compromise plan to cut spending in fiscal year 2024 and impose non-defense discretionary caps for 2025. McCarthy faced intense pressure from the conservative wing of his conference to fight for budgetary concessions. Many House conservatives were dissatisfied with the final legislation and 71 Republicans broke ranks to oppose the measure, though the plan secured bipartisan support in both chambers.

With the prospect of an imminent debt default seemingly averted, the California Republican earned a 50% approval rating in the latest Rasmussen Reports poll. McCarthy generally earned strong marks from his own party with 65% of Republicans approving of him compared to 43% of Democrats.

Moreover, 56% of likely U.S. voters approved of the McCarthy-led debt bill. A further 28% said Congress should have rejected the plan while 18% were unsure. The survey questioned 1,012 likely U.S. voters from May 30 to June 1.

The Rasmussen poll represents a continuation of a favorable trend for McCarthy, who held a net -12 approval rating according to an Economist/YouGov survey at the time. In mid-May, the same survey showed him with a net +4 favorability, representing a 16-point upswing.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.