President Joe Biden’s approval rating has taken a significant downturn, landing at a record low of 40%, making it the lowest rating since the start of his presidency. A large portion of the population disapproves of his handling of foreign policy and the Israel-Hamas war. Notably, this includes strong disapproval from younger voters, the majority of whom say they disapprove of Biden’s handling of the conflict. While disaffected voters and younger Americans feel alienated from the current administration, there is still time for Biden to improve his standing before the 2024 election.
The majority of negative sentiment toward Biden’s handling of the war in Gaza comes from Democrats, a sign that a significant part of the Biden coalition is beginning to question his policies on foreign affairs. The Israel-Hamas war has had a disproportionate impact on Biden’s approval ratings. Half of Democratic voters and the majority of independents and Republicans say they disapprove of his handling of the war. Jose Biden faces a significant challenge in rebuilding his lost support among Democrats and younger voters. There’s still time before the next presidential election for him to appeal to these demographic segments and improve his chances for re-election in 2024. Political surprises and unforeseen events between now and then could have a significant impact on the political landscape, potentially transforming it once again.
The poll from NBC News also reveals a significant shift in perception of Israeli military operations between Republicans and Democratic voters. A majority of American voters believe Israel is justified in defending its interests in the Israel-Hamas war, but Democratic voters express a significantly higher disapproval of Israel’s actions. Additionally, former President Donald Trump is found to have an edge over Biden when voters were asked to participate in a hypothetical general-election matchup. While this is well within the survey’s margin of error for now, it indicates a shift in public opinion that Biden may need to address. Furthermore, President Biden also faces a challenge in his own party as the poll is also divided over the Israel-Hamas war. With all these challenges, there is still a significant amount of time before the next presidential election, giving the Biden administration the opportunity to reshape their policies and improve their image.
