Recent polling results have not been favorable for President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party, leading to speculation about the possibility of another presidential nominee.
According to a recent Fox News poll, nearly 75% of Americans express dissatisfaction with the nation’s current direction, with approximately half of Democrats sharing this sentiment, as reported by Fox News.
That outlet notes:
Overall, 72% of voters are dissatisfied. That number has only been higher five times, and two of those were in the last year and a half. A record 79% were dissatisfied in 2009, when the question was first asked on a Fox survey, while it hit 75% last summer (August 2022).
Current dissatisfaction is up almost 20 points since the early days of President Joe Biden’s administration when 53% felt that way (April 2021).
That grim view isn’t only held by Biden’s partisan detractors: 49% of Democrats are dissatisfied — up 29 points since the start of his presidency. Among independents, 83% are unhappy, up 18 points. An overwhelmingly 92% majority of Republicans are dissatisfied, up 8 points.
Inflation was a top concern among survey participants, with 58% considering rising prices to be a critical issue. Opioid addiction also weighed heavily on their minds, with 52% expressing concern, while crime and border security came in at 48%. Climate change registered at 39%, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict was a concern for 34% of respondents.
More than one-third of those surveyed admitted to living paycheck to paycheck, with savings that would last a month or less. Over half, or 53%, said they could only sustain themselves for three months or less with their savings, while this figure rose to 66% for those earning $50,000 or less annually. On the other hand, 22% felt they could rely on their savings for a year or longer, marking an increase from 12% in 2021.
“These numbers tell the story of an increasing economic divide in America,” Democratic pollster Chris Anderson from Beacon Research, who conducted the poll with Republican Daron Shaw, said. “More households are living close to the breaking point, and more are also building up reserves, but the middle is shrinking.”
“Food and groceries are putting the greatest strain on family finances these days (41%). Far fewer voters say their toughest expense is housing (16%), utilities (12%), gasoline (12%), health care (9%), or student loans (5%),” the report said.
“Many, 53%, have delayed making a major purchase because of high interest rates, and that holds true among even the highest income groups. Women (59%), Hispanic voters (65%), and voters under age 35 (68%) are among those most likely to have put off buying a home or car because of high rates,” it said.
Survey participants expressed a lack of confidence in politicians’ understanding of their circumstances. A significant 64% believed that President Biden is out of touch, while 59% felt the same about former President Donald Trump. A striking 80% held the view that Congress, including members from all political affiliations, is out of touch.
The poll revealed disapproval ratings for Congress, with 60% disapproving of the performance of Democrats in Congress and 66% disapproving of Congressional Republicans. Regarding the president, 58% disapproved of President Biden’s job performance, while only 41% expressed approval.
“More than 6 in 10 disapprove of Biden’s handling of the economy: 37% approve, while 62% disapprove. While that’s net negative by 25 points, it’s a big improvement since last summer when he was underwater on the economy by 38 points (June 2022),” the report said.
“His marks are even lower on inflation (30% approve – 67% disapprove) and they give him his worst ratings to date on border security (30-66%),” it said.
“Some 83% of Democrats approve of Biden’s job performance overall, which is close to his 85% average among the party faithful,” it said.
Trump, meanwhile, continues to lead his fellow 2024 presidential contenders and by a wide margin most polls, virtually guaranteeing him the nomination at this point.
