Voters Say Deciding Not to Run Again Was Biden’s Best Action in Office
As Joe Biden’s presidency draws to a close, new polling from Data for Progress — using voters’ own words — shines a light on how the electorate perceives his time in office.
In two open-ended questions, voters were asked to name the best and worst things Biden did while in office. For both questions, Data for Progress manually categorized each response, while excluding respondents who did not give a decipherable answer.
The actions most frequently listed as Biden’s best in office are his decision not to run again, his handling of the economy, and the tone of his leadership.
Democrats most frequently mentioned the economic recovery and Biden’s tone of leadership, while Independents and Republicans mentioned Biden’s decision not to run again.
Specific actions mentioned three or fewer times are sorted under “other specific policies or actions.” Some examples include bringing basketball star Brittney Griner home to the U.S., walking a union picket line, nominating Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and choosing Kamala Harris as his vice president.
Voters were also asked to name the worst thing Biden did while in office. Combined, Biden’s age and health and his initial decision to run for a second term are the most frequently cited. Top responses to this question also include his handling of immigration, his management of the economy, and his recent pardons. Foreign policy is also frequently cited, with many respondents mentioning his handling of crises in Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Israel.
Democrats most frequently mentioned Biden’s age and health and his handling of the economy, while Independents and Republicans most frequently mentioned his handling of immigration, followed by his handling of the economy and his presidential pardons.
Some additional responses sorted under “other specific policies or decisions” include worsening the child care crisis, stealing the 2020 election, withholding aid from Israel, and failing to legalize abortion on a federal level.
Biden’s handling of the economy remains divisive, with voters in the survey labeling it as among his best and worst actions. The polling comes as Biden is set to leave office with just a 37% approval rating, the lowest of his presidency.
Cover photo attributable to the U.S. Secretary of Defense.