President Joe Biden has been able to campaign for reelection while his likely opponent, former President Donald Trump, remains tied down in a Manhattan courthouse facing ‘hush money’ criminal charges over what legal analysts on the right and left say are bogus, ill-conceived, and flat-out dishonest. But just because Biden’s been able to campaign doesn’t mean much to his reelection effort, at least so far.
The 81-year-old Democrat notched the lowest approval rating, 38.7%, of any president at this point in their first term in office, according to Gallup, the Washington Times reported.
“None of the other nine presidents elected to their first term since Dwight Eisenhower had a lower 13th-quarter average than Biden,” Gallup said, referring to the period between Jan. 20 and April 19. “From a broader historical perspective, Biden’s most recent quarterly average ranks 277th out of 314 presidential quarters in Gallup records dating to 1945. That puts it in the bottom 12% of all presidential quarters.”
These findings come as the Biden administration grapples with strategies to ease tensions in the Middle East. Escalating violence has fueled pro-Palestinian demonstrations on college campuses nationwide, prompting scrutiny of Biden’s stance on Israel and prompting speculation about his support among younger voters. Meanwhile, inflation persists, exacerbating the financial strain on low-income households and causing sticker shock at the grocery store.
The Times added:
Former President George H.W. Bush owns the second worst rating over that same time in his presidency, coming in at 41.8%, followed by former Presidents Obama, 45.9%, and Trump, 46.8%. For Mr. Biden, it is yet another warning sign about his reelection prospects. The findings come a day after Decision Desk HQ, a nonpartisan election tracker, said Mr. Biden’s 38.6% approval rating is “the lowest it has been since we began tracking polls in February 2023.”
Several political analysts have said they believe the more Trump is prosecuted and persecuted by Democrats using lawfare, the better in the polls he will do, and they appear to be right so far. In a recent poll conducted by Marquette Law School, former President Trump has edged ahead of President Joe Biden in Wisconsin, a critical swing state.
Among registered voters surveyed, Trump holds a two-point lead over the Democratic incumbent, with 51% of respondents supporting him compared to Biden’s 49%. This marks a shift from January, when the candidates were tied at 49% each, indicating a gain for Trump in recent months.
The Daily Wire adds:
Wisconsin is one of seven crucial swing states in the 2024 presidential election and is worth 10 electoral votes. The other six swing states are Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, which total 93 electoral votes along with Wisconsin.
While Trump was found to be leading Biden in the Midwestern state, Democrat incumbent Senator Tammy Baldwin enjoys a five-point lead over Republican challenger Eric Hovde, with the two candidates coming in at 52% and 47%, respectively, among registered voters. When the question is posed to likely voters, however, the two Senate candidates are tied.
The latest Marquette Law School poll results align with findings from a Wall Street Journal poll earlier this month, which showed Trump leading Biden in six out of seven swing states. In Wisconsin, where the Marquette poll was conducted, Trump was tied with Biden.
The WSJ poll revealed Trump’s largest lead in North Carolina, with a six-point margin over Biden, as well as a five-point lead in Arizona and a four-point lead in Nevada. Additionally, Trump held three-point leads in Michigan and Pennsylvania, along with a one-point lead in Georgia.