President Obama's Q13 Approval Rating - 45.9%
Can Obama Buck the Trend and Win Re-Election With an Approval Rating of Less Than 50%?

Let's look at President Obama's approval rating numbers, by quarter, during his time in the White House so far:
Q1 - 63.0%
Q2 - 62.0%
Q3 - 52.9%
Q4 - 50.8%
Q5 - 48.8%
Q6 - 47.3%
Q7 - 44.7%
Q8 - 46.0%
Q9 - 46.7%
Q10 - 46.8%
Q11 - 41.0%
Q12 - 43.3%
Q13 - 45.9%
After hitting a ghastly 41.0% during his 11th quarter in office, Obama has somewhat rebounded since, mainly thanks to an improving economy.
--
Gallup.com notes that all presidents since Eisenhower who were re-elected had an average approval rating of over 50% during their 13th quarters in office. Jimmy Carter (47.7%) and George H.W. Bush (41.8%) both had approval ratings of less than 50% during their 13th quarters in the White House, and both men failed to win re-election.
Gallup notes that both Carter and George H.W. Bush saw their approval ratings drop during their 14th quarters in the White House. Obama's approval rating, on the other hand, seems to be improving, which means that he may be able to buck the historical trend.
--
Source: Gallup.com - Obama 13th Quarter Approval Up to 45.9%
Keep reading
Economy and Politics · Nov 6, 2026What Happens to Tariffs Now That Democrats Control CongressEconomy and Politics · Nov 5, 2026The Hedge Funds With the Biggest Bets on AI StocksEconomy and Politics · Nov 4, 2026What a Democratic Texas Governor Means for the Data Center BoomEconomy and Politics · Nov 3, 2026When the Oil Shock Ends, How Long Until Gas Gets Cheaper?
Filed under Economy and Politics. Every article, by year
