Gallup Poll: Congressional Job Approval at 17% in July

Just seventeen percent of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing a new Gallup Poll reveals.

Gallup asked: “Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?” 17% of 1,024 respondents approved of Congress’ job performance.  As noted by Gallup, Congressional approval rose to 20% in January 2017, after the passage of Trump’s tax bill in late December. However, Congressional approval dropped to 16% in August 2017 and has since averaged 16%.

The survey also showed that Republicans (29%) remain most approving of Congress, as their party currently controls both legislative chambers. Meanwhile, Democrats (9%) remain least approving, and 15% of independents approve of the job the legislature is doing.

According to Gallup, “Republicans’ ratings are well below where they were in February 2017, after Trump took office, and significantly lower than in January of this year after the tax cuts were passed.” Congressional approval among Republicans was 50% in January 2017 compared to 29% in July 2018. Similarly, Congressional approval among Democrats was 25% in January 2017 compared to 15% in July 2018.

Further, the overall average approval rating for Congress over Gallup’s history of asking the question since 1974 is 30%.

Gallup polled 1,033 random U.S. adults by telephone July 1-11, 2018.