July 22, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Few Americans are satisfied with the performance of their federal lawmakers, according to a review of four recent public opinion polls. In a survey by TNS released by ABC News and the Washington Post, 23 per cent of respondents approve of the way Congress is doing its job.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Few Americans are satisfied with the performance of their federal lawmakers, according to a review of four recent public opinion polls. In a survey by TNS released by ABC News and the Washington Post, 23 per cent of respondents approve of the way Congress is doing its job.

The approval rating for Congress stands at 18 per cent in a study by Ipsos-Public Affairs for the Associated Press, 14 per cent in a poll by Gallup released by USA Today, and 14 per cent in a survey by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

American voters renewed the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate in November 2006. In January 2007, the Democratic Party took control of the lower house for the first time since 1994, with 233 lawmakers. A victory for the Democratic candidates for the Senate in Montana and Virginia also gave the party a majority in the upper house. Democratic California congresswoman Nancy Pelosi became the first female speaker of the House.

On Jul. 18, Pelosi explained why public support for Congress is so low, declaring, "I think that is largely because we have not ended the war. Everything I see says this is about ending the war. I disapprove of Congress’ performance in terms of ending the war."

American voters will elect a new president, and renew the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate on Nov. 4.

Polling Data

a) Do you approve or disapprove of the way the U.S. Congress is doing its job?

	Jul. 2008	Jan. 2008	Dec. 2007
Approve	23%	33%	32%
Disapprove	71%	59%	60%
Unsure	6%	8%	8%

Source: TNS / ABC News / Washington Post
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,119 American adults, conducted from Jul. 10 to Jul. 13, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

b) Overall, do you approve, disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way Congress is handling its job?

	Jul. 2008	Jun. 2008	Apr. 2008
Approve	18%	23%	23%
Disapprove	77%	72%	71%
Mixed Feelings	2%	3%	5%
Unsure	3%	2%	2%

Source: Ipsos-Public Affairs / Associated Press
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted from Jul. 10 to Jul. 14, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.

c) Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?

	Jul. 2008	Jun. 2008	May 2008
Approve	14%	19%	18%
Disapprove	75%	74%	76%
Unsure	10%	7%	6%

Source: Gallup / USA Today
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,119 American adults, conducted from Jul. 10 to Jul. 13, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

d) Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?"

	Jul. 2008	May 2008	Oct. 2007
Approve	14%	16%	21%
Disapprove	77%	76%	70%
Unsure	9%	8%	10%

Source: Quinnipiac University Polling Institute
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,725 likely American voters, conducted from Jul. 8 to Jul. 13, 2008. Margin of error is 2.4 per cent.