A new NBC News poll shows that voters are evenly split about whether they want Democrats or Republicans to control Congress while President Joe Biden’s approval rating inched up and former president Donald Trump’s took a dip.
Republican consulting firm Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research Associates surveyed 1,000 registered voters between 9 September and 13 September. The poll had a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
Mr Biden’s approval rating moved up three points since August to 45 per cent, his highest approval rating since October of last year. His approval rating moved down three points to 52 per cent.
Meanwhile, Mr Biden’s former opponent Mr Trump’s favorability rating dropped two points since August while his unfavorability rating stayed put at 54 per cent, with 56 per cent of voters saying that investigations into potential wrongdoing should continue. It’s the lowest favorability for Mr Trump since April when 32 per cent approved of him while 55 per cent viewed him negatively, according to NBC.
Mr Biden’s polling improvement comes after a streak of policy victories. Last month, Mr Biden signed legislation to support the manufacturing of semiconductors in the United States as well as the Inflation Reduction Act, the United States’ single largest investment in combating climate change that would also allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices.
In addition, last month, Mr Biden announced his plan to give up to $10,000 worth of student debt relief for people making up to $125,000, with Pell Grant recipients receiving up to $20,000 in debt cancellation. That likely contributed to his approval rating among 18-to-34-year-olds jumping from 36 to 48 per cent.
Mr Biden’s approval rating also climbed from 47 per cent to 52 per cent among women and from 40 per cent to 48 per cent among Latinos.
Voters were split evenly about which party they want to control Congress, with 46 per cent each saying they want Democrats or Republicans controlling Congress.
Republicans have an all-time high advantage among voters on the economy and crime, with 45 per cent of voters favoring Republicans on crime compared to 22 per cent favouring Democrats and the 47 per cent of voters preferring Republicans on the economy compared to 28 per cent of voters preferring Democrats.
But voters favour Democrats when it comes to protecting democracy – 40 per cent of voters favour Democrats compared with 33 who prefer Republicans – and abortion, where 47 per cent of voters prefer Democrats compared to 25 per cent who prefer Republicans, an all-time high for Democrats.
