Political Popularity

Despite a flurry of recent activity on healthcare reform and climate change, just a third of Americans approve of the way Congress is handling its job. The new mid-June rating of Congress is down from 39 percent in the March Gallup poll. Democrats’ approval of Congress has fallen in recent months—50 percent approve now, down from 63 percent just a short time ago.

Gallup has been asking this question about Congress since 1974. The high point for approval came shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks when 84 percent of Americans gave Congress a positive rating. The all-time low on the question was 14 percent, recorded in July 2008. The Democrats in Congress are rated more highly than the Republicans, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s negatives have risen sharply in recent months.

Source: The Gallup Organization, June 2009.