President Joe Biden is on track to be one of America’s most unpopular post-war presidents. Biden started off his administration with a low approval rating for a just-inaugurated President and his lower approval rating compared to other Presidents approval has continued one year into his administration. 

With his RealClearPolitics (RCP) net job approval currently at -13.0%, Biden has been the second most unpopular president at the year one mark of his presidency. Only his predecessor, Donald Trump, was more unpopular at the one year mark.

The poll results are reflected in the opinions of the student body at RV. “I disapprove [of Biden]. I don’t think he is fit to run this country,” freshman Ava Vile said. “He has done a little bit for our military, but not much.” 

There are many speculated reasons for Biden’s increasing unpopularity. Many critics argue that his response to the Omicron variant has been lackluster. The CDC’s limiting quarantine time and Biden’s saying that COVID surges get “solved at a state-level” are often cited as examples.  

Opponents have also accused Biden of not doing a sufficient job dealing with various economic issues plaguing the country, including high inflation, supply chain issues and lack of affordable housing. According to a new Quinnipiac poll, 55% of Americans disapprove of Biden’s handling of the coronavirus and 57% disapprove of his handling of the economy. 

In contrast to Biden, Trump’s RCP net favorability rating has gradually increased. Trump’s rise in popularity isn’t as cut and dry as Biden’s decrease in favorability, nor is Trump’s rise in popularity as dramatic as Biden’s decrease. Trump has mainly gone back to levels of favorability similar to those prior to the capitol riot last year, with a -10.7% net approval rating. There have been many reasons attributed for Trump’s rise in popularity. “[Trump] helps our country…[he] respects this county and respects our military…[but] sometimes [he] can be a little bit outspoken,” Vile said. 

Trump’s approval rating is approximately nine points higher than it was after the capital attacks. His rise has mainly been attributed to Biden’s unpopularity and Americans slowly forgetting and, in the case of some Trump supporters, justifying the January 6 riot. According to a Yougov poll, 51% of American adults believe that Trump has a lot or some responsibility for the capital rights which is down from 54% last January. 

However, there was a large number of RV students that supported Biden. One of these students is sophomore Maria Hupp.

“I would probably support Joe Biden…[but] he is old,” Hupp said. When Hupp was asked whether or not she liked Trump, she said “No, because [Trump] is very stereotypical.”

According to Gallup, Biden’s approval rating among Democrats is 78%. While that is down from 98% at the beginning of his Presidency, it is still a bad sign for anyone from Biden’s party looking to challenge him in the primaries. 

RV Students and the American population at large also have a segment of people with a neutral opinion about Biden. A little under 14% of the U.S population have a neutral opinion about Biden’s job performance according to his RCP polling average.  

“[I] did support Joe Biden, however [I] have mixed feelings about him right now,” junior Meshona Ogoemesim said. “I am not really in the area where I disapprove, maybe in the middle…I would support Joe Biden again.”

Conflicted voters are arguably crucial for Biden if he wants a chance at reelection since his approval rating has been declining.