Joe Biden has seen his support among Hispanics plummet over the past 12 months, with just 26 percent of respondents in a new poll approving of the work he does — a drop of more than half.
The president was elected with 59 percent of the Hispanic vote, with Donald Trump winning 38 percent.
In the first spring of his presidency, 55 percent of Hispanics said they approve of him, according to a May 2021 Quinnipiac University poll.
But a new poll conducted this week shows support has fallen to just 26 percent.
Among all voters, Biden’s approval rating currently stands at 41.1 percent, according to the FiveThirtyEight poll aggregator.
His approval ratings fell below his disapproval ratings in August and have only fallen further since.
Donald Trump’s approval rating, at 42.4, was almost as bad as Biden’s at the same point in his presidency.
Of the post-war presidents, only Gerald Ford was worse, with 39 percent approval.
Barack Obama was significantly higher at just under 58 percent; George W. Bush was at a staggering 72 percent.
Just 26 percent of Hispanics polled May 12-16 said they strongly or partially approve of Joe Biden’s performance as president, according to a new poll
As of May 2021, Biden had a 55 percent approval rating from Hispanics — just slightly below the percentage who voted for him in November 2020
Biden’s handling of the economy was particularly heavily criticized.
Only 27 percent of Hispanics approved of his economic policies — a damning assessment than that of voters as a whole.
Nationally, 32 percent agree while 63 percent disagree.
Among Hispanics, inflation was ranked as the most pressing issue from a list of 11 issues — a sentiment shared by both white and black voters.
Hispanic voters said the Russian invasion of Ukraine was the second most important concern, followed by climate change and abortion.
White voters said abortion was the second most important issue, followed by election laws and immigration.
Black voters felt that racial inequality was the second most important concern, followed by abortion.
Members of the Cubans for Biden movement are seen campaigning in Miramar, Florida, in October 2020
Biden’s supporters in Florida wave the Dominican flag at a rally in Miami in September 2020. Trump narrowly won the state with 51.2 percent to 47.9 votes
Quinnipiac surveyed 1,586 US adults May 12-16 with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
The poll included 1,421 registered voters.
Hispanic voters are a large and diverse segment of the electorate and do not vote consistently.
In Florida, for example, many Cuban-Americans tend to be conservative.
In the US Midwest and West, a majority are of Mexican descent, traditionally inclined to vote Democrats, and live in swing states, including Arizona.
Hispanic supporters of Donald Trump are seen at a rally on the outskirts of Las Vegas in November 2020
Heading into November’s midterm elections, the White House will need to focus on allaying voter concerns about rising inflation.
Annual inflation in the US slowed to 8.3 percent in April from a 41-year high of 8.5 percent in March, but less than market forecasts of 8.1 percent.
On Thursday — a day after falling more than 1,100 points, the worst of the year — the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 236.94 points, or 0.8 percent, at 31,253.13.
Gas prices hit a new record high on Thursday, with the national average climbing to $4.58 a gallon, according to data from AAA.
Blaming the Russian invasion of Ukraine for the high prices, a White House spokesman said Latino families have benefited from Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which expanded the child tax credit direct Sent cash payments to most Americans and bailed out businesses.
“President Biden knows how higher prices can affect a family budget,” the spokesman said earlier this month.
“That’s why he fights every day to bring down gas prices and reduce the cost of the kitchen table, which is pressuring Latino families across the country.”
President Joe Biden speaks as Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto (L) and Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson (R) listen during a news conference in the White House Rose Garden on Thursday
Most economists say inflation is being caused by a number of factors, most of which are beyond Biden’s control.
Global supply chain blockages were a major cause of price increases, while oil prices were already skyrocketing in Ukraine before the war.
Many economists also say the Biden administration’s spending on COVID relief has fueled rising prices, but note that a failure to bail out the economy would have led to a recession.
A spokesman for the Republican National Committee said the party will highlight what they call “reckless spending” by Democrats as a factor in rising inflation.
They will tell voters that Republican-controlled states like Florida and Texas, which have kept schools and businesses open during the pandemic, will serve as a role model for Hispanic voters, who they say want to work and earn higher wages.