U.S. Congressional Approval Stable at 21%

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans' approval of the way Congress is handling its job held steady at 21% in a Nov. 1-11 Gallup survey, unchanged from October. While low historically, that level generally matches the high ebb for congressional approval in the past few years, except for a 28% reading shortly after President Donald Trump's inauguration.

The flip side of 21% of Americans approving of Congress is the finding that 74% disapprove this month. This was the public's mood at the time of the Nov. 6 midterms that resulted in Republicans losing control of the House while maintaining their hold on the Senate.

The current 21% of Americans who approve of the job Congress is doing is slightly above the year-to-date average of 18% for 2018. However, these readings are below the 31% approval that Congress has averaged since Gallup first began asking the question in 1974.

Thirty-five percent of Republicans currently say they approve of the job Congress is doing, about the same as the 36% who approved in October. These readings from the past two months are near the highest levels recorded since Trump's inauguration in early 2017. Before Trump took office, Republicans had substantially lower approval ratings of Congress.

Democrats' approval of Congress sank following Trump's inauguration and has remained at or below 16% since then. Currently, 9% of Democrats approve of the job Congress is doing, down slightly from 12% in October.

Given the upcoming shift in control of the House of Representatives, it is possible that Democrats' views of Congress will improve in January, in expectation that their party's control of the House will result in passing policies that Democrats endorse. Alternatively, Republicans' approval may slump if they foresee less possibility for the passage of GOP-backed legislation.

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