Americans’ approval of Congress increases in February, but still falls short of majority support
WASHINGTON - Though Congress began its new session just a little over a month ago, its approval rating has increased among Americans, according to new data from Gallup.
Congress had one of its most unproductive and dysfunctional periods the past two years that featured leadership fights, name-calling and physical aggression among lawmakers and averting government shutdowns with just hours to spare. Americans’ approval rating for Congress went as low as 13% in October 2023.
But the latest Gallup poll, conducted among 1,004 adults, found that Americans’ approval of Congress’ job performance this month is at 29% - its highest point since May 2021 at 31%. It also marks a 12-point increase from January, when the approval rating was at 17%.
But it's still nowhere close to a majority of Americans approving. Sixty-five percent of Americans said they disapprove of Congress’ performance while six percent had no opinion.
Republicans’ approval of Congress has also risen to 53% this month - its highest point since August 2005, at 57%. The poll, conducted between Feb. 3 and Feb. 16, has a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.
Gallup senior editor Jeff Jones told Paste BN that when one party has control of the House, Senate and presidency - as is the case right now - congressional job approval typically increases.
“That one side gets really excited about having that power, and then that's what drives the overall rating out,” he said. The same scenario occurred in February 2021, when Democrats had full control of Congress and the presidency. The congressional approval rating was at 35% then, a 10-point increase from the previous month, according to Gallup data.
In the months following February 2021, however, Congress’ approval rating shot down to 33%, 31% and 26%.
Jones noted that Congress’ approval rating typically goes down after these surges because lawmakers are not accomplishing everything their supporters want or face other setbacks. He said he expects Congress’ job approval to decrease next month.
“But I would caveat that if Congress can pass these big bills, you know, they talk about one or two bills that pretty much have all of Trump's agenda in there that might keep Republicans happy” and maintain Congress’ approval rating, he said.
Republicans are currently walking a tightrope in Congress with a razor-thin margin in the House and divisions between moderates and ultraconservatives in their party as they work to pass President Donald Trump’s agenda.