Obama’s Full-Month Rating Improves in January
When tracking President Obama’s job approval on a daily basis, people sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations that they miss the bigger picture. To look at the longer-term trends, Rasmussen Reports compiles the numbers on a full-month basis, and the results can be seen in the graphics below.
Though showing no dramatic fluctuations, approval ratings for the president improved in January, and his monthly index is at its highest level since April of last year.
The number of voters who Strongly Disapprove of his performance dropped two points in January to 38%, the lowest result measured since July 2009. This number has stayed in a narrow range of 39% to 43% since then.
In January, the number who Strongly Approve of the president’s performance rose two points to 27%. That number has ranged from 25% to 30% since October 2009. By comparison, 43% Strongly Approved of the president's performance in January of that year, the month he took office.
The new figures generate a full-month Presidential Approval Index rating of -11. The president’s approval index rating stayed between -14 and -17 for most of last year, with one exception. The latest index ties the result found last April.
The full-month numbers show Strong Approval from 54% of Democrats and Strong Disapproval from 66% of Republicans and 40% of voters not affiliated with either of the major parties.
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