Americans say President Biden is faring well when it comes to his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and, to a lesser extent, the economy, a new NPR/Marist poll finds. But immigration looks like it will continue to be a thorn in the president’s side.
The survey out Tuesday also finds that an increasing number of Americans now say they will get a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available to them — bringing the U.S. closer to the range that scientists say is needed to reach a safe level of immunity that will stem new outbreaks of the coronavirus. But there are clear disparities by race on who has already gotten the vaccine.
“There is not an issue of willingness,” said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. “It’s an issue of access. With Trump voters, it’s an issue of acceptance.”
Two-thirds of Americans approve of the job that Biden is doing with the pandemic. That includes almost a third of Republicans. Overall, the president’s approval rating is up to 52%, and his handling of the economy has now reached 51%.
All three are improvements from a poll conducted earlier this month.
But just 34% of Americans approve of Biden’s handling of immigration, while 53% disapprove. A majority of independents and even a quarter of Democrats disapprove of the job he’s doing on the issue.
