Kamala Harris' approval rating falls to historically low 28 percent

A new poll from USA Today and Suffolk University reveals a gloomy outlook for Democrats ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.  

President Biden’s approval rating – already historically low – dropped to 38 percent, while Vice President Kamala Harris hit a shocking 28 percent.

Such abysmal polling in the first year of a modern administration is truly unprecedented.

“The closest comparison – which involves slightly different methodology and margins of error – would be Former Vice President Dick Cheney,” writes Jake Lahut in Business Insider. “He bottomed out at 30% in Gallup's tracking survey, but that wasn't until the end of former President George W. Bush's second term in 2007.”

Pundits friendly to the administration have argued that the $1.2 trillion “hard” infrastructure bill that passed on Friday could help the administration rebound, but others are not so optimistic. “There’s no magic in the Oval Office right now,” one senator told The Hill.

Further findings from the poll were certainly telling. USA Today reports:  

• Nearly half of those surveyed, 46%, say Biden has done a worse job as president than they expected, including 16% of those who voted for him. Independents, by 7-1 (44%-6%), say he's done worse, not better, than they expected.
• Nearly two-thirds of Americans, 64%, say they don't want Biden to run for a second term in 2024. That includes 28% of Democrats. Opposition to Trump running for another term in 2024 stands at 58%, including 24% of Republicans.
• Vice President Kamala Harris' approval rating is 28% – even worse than Biden's. The poll shows that 51% disapprove of the job she's doing. One in 5, 21%, are undecided.
• Americans overwhelmingly support the infrastructure bill Biden is about to sign, but they are split on the more expensive and further-reaching "Build Back Better" act being debated in Congress. Only 1 in 4 say the bill's provisions would help them and their families. 

Presently, Republicans lead Democrats by 8 points on the congressional ballot, per USA Today's survey. Four seats need to be flipped for Republicans to take control of the House, and just one in the Senate.