(CNN)It’s been a rough month — and indeed a year — for President Joe Biden.
Due to the Omicron variant, high inflation and uncertainty in Ukraine, Biden’s poll ratings have fallen sharply and his approval ratings remain in the low 40s.
A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll suggests everything could change. Biden’s overall rating of job approval among Americans is 47% in the poll, up 8 points from the same poll last month.
This bump is also reflected in individual topics. A majority (52%) of Americans now approve of how Biden is handling the situation with Russia and Ukraine – up 18 (!) points from last month. Regarding Covid-19, 55% now agree with the way he is handling the pandemic, up 8 points from last month. And 45% approve of his handling of the economy, up 9 points.
Part of this positive movement can be attributed to Biden’s State of the Union address earlier this week. It was generally well received, and whenever a president has the mob pulpit for an hour during prime time, it’s usually a good thing for him.
But there are several other themes beyond a temporary bump in the State of the Union that suggest a Biden comeback could be in the works.
1) His handling of the situation in Ukraine – leading an international coalition against Russia and imposing tough economic sanctions while refusing to use American forces – has earned him positive criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.
2) The US economy is clearly moving in the right direction – and fast. In February alone, a staggering 678,000 jobs were created. The unemployment rate has now fallen to 3.8%, its lowest level in two years.
3) Covid-19 is on the retreat. Average daily case numbers have dropped to around 55,000 at the national level, and a number of states are eliminating indoor mask requirements – making “normal” seem much more achievable.
Well, it’s worth noting that if the last two presidencies — Barack Obama and Donald Trump — have taught us anything, it’s that partisanship in the electorate has hardened. This trend leaves fewer independents and onlookers whose opinions of Biden may change based on external events.
However, Biden’s numbers at the start of his tenure were in the mid-50s — he had 54% approval in Gallup polls around this time last year — meaning the electorate is still somewhat resilient.
The point: Democrats running for election this November need to hope this marks a real turning point for Biden and not just a false positive. If his numbers stay anywhere near the low 40s, the 2022 election will be an annihilation for his party.
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