GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- Twenty-seven percent of Americans say they approve of the way Congress is handling its job, according to a recent Gallup Poll. Americans' overall rating of Congress is little changed since last month -- up a slight three points -- but ratings still remain lower now than earlier this year when the Democrats took control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congressional job approval is low among both Republicans and Democrats, but Republicans' ratings have now fallen to the lowest point since President George W. Bush took office in 2001, dropping six points over the past month to 18%. About one in three Democrats and independents approve.
Overall Results
According to Gallup's latest monthly update (July 12-15, 2007), 27% of Americans approve and 66% disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job. Congressional job approval was 24% in June and is now at roughly the same level Gallup measured in May. Still, the public's rating of Congress is lower now than at the start of the year when the Democratic takeover occurred, with roughly one in three Americans approving of Congress in January and February. The current 27% rating is similar to the poor ratings Congress received last year when Americans elected a Democratic majority after Republicans controlled both houses of Congress for nearly all of the last 12 years.
So far this year, Congressional job approval ratings have averaged 30%. This is up from an average of 25% in 2006. Since Gallup first started tracking this measure in 1974, the highest yearly average approval rating of Congress occurred in 2001, at 56%, and the lowest was 1992, with an average 18% approval rating. There have been several years when congressional ratings have averaged lower than the current 30%, as seen in the following graph.
Republicans vs. Democrats
Democrats are more positive than Republicans in their current assessment of Congress, although a solid majority of both groups say they disapprove of the job Congress is doing. Roughly one in three Democrats (32%) say they approve of Congress, compared with 18% of Republicans. Independents' approval rating is 30%.
Prior to the transfer of power earlier this year, congressional job approval ratings were much higher among Republicans than independents or Democrats. Since then, Democrats have become more likely than independents or Republicans to approve of Congress.
Democrats' ratings gradually declined from April through June, falling from 43% to 29%, but are up three points this month, although this falls within the poll's margin of error. Republicans' ratings had been fairly stable in the mid-20% range in recent months, but have now fallen below 20% for the first time during the Bush administration. Independents' ratings improved substantially this month, from 19% in June to 30% currently. The last time independents' ratings were at this level was in February.
Survey Methods
Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,001 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted July 12-15, 2007. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
