Opinion polling on the Ronald Reagan administration

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Since 1981, there has been opinion polling on the Ronald Reagan administration to gather and analyze public opinion on the performance and policies of the Ronald Reagan administration.

Contents

After becoming president on January 20, 1981, [1] Reagan survived an assassination attempt. CBS News launched their opinion polls with their first one showing 67% of Americans approving the president's job performance. [2] Similarly, an ABC News poll showed Reagan's highest approval rating at 73%. [3] His ratings by CBS remained above 50% until the United States experienced a recession and high unemployment in 1982. [2] According to a Gallup poll, his lowest rating was 35% in early 1983. [4] [5] Headed into the 1984 presidential election, Reagan's ratings by CBS recovered, reaching 58% and higher throughout the next two years. [2] However, in January 1987, Gallup revealed that his rating dropped to 49% as a result of the Iran–Contra affair. By December 1988, the near end of his presidency, Reagan's rating recovered again at 63%. [4] [6] Retrospective polls continued to show Reagan among the greatest Presidents in modern history. [3] [4]

Retrospective approval ratings

PollsterSegmentDate(s)ApproveDisapproveUnsure/no dataSampleMethodSource(s)
Gallup —February 5–11, 201872%24%4%—— [7] [8]
November 19–21, 201074%24%2% [9] [10] [11]
June 1–4, 200671%27%2% [9] [12]
March 18–20, 200273%22%5% [9]
ABC News/ The Washington Post All adults July 26–30, 200166%27%7%1,352telephone [13] [3]
—February 27, 200064%26%10%—— [13] [14]
Gallup —February 14–15, 200066%32%2%—— [9]
February 8–9, 199971%27%2%
November 15–16, 199352%45%3%
June 4–8, 199250%47%3%
November 8–11, 199054%44%2%

  majority approve  plurality approve  majority disapprove  plurality disapprove

Presidential approval ratings

Gallup approval ratings during the Reagan presidency disapprove unsure approve Gallup Poll-Approval Rating-Ronald Reagan.png
Gallup approval ratings during the Reagan presidency
  disapprove
  unsure
  approve

January 1989

PollsterSegmentDate(s)ApproveDisapproveUnsure/no dataSampleMethodSource(s)
CBS News/ The New York Times —January 12–15, 198968%26%6%—— [15] [16]

  majority approve  plurality approve  majority disapprove  plurality disapprove

1988

PollsterSegmentDate(s)ApproveDisapproveUnsure/no dataSampleMethodSource(s)
Gallup —December 27–29, 198863%29%8%—— [17] [4]
November 11–14, 198857%35%8%
October 21–24, 198851%38%11% [17]
September 25–October 1, 198854%37%9%
August 19–22, 198853%37%10%
July 15–18, 198854%36%10%
July 1–7, 198851%35%14%
June 24–27, 198848%40%12%
June 10–13, 198851%39%10%
May 13–22, 198848%43%9%
CBS News/ The New York Times All adults May 9–12, 198848%39%13%1,382telephone [18]
Gallup —May 2–8, 198850%38%12%—— [17] [4]
April 8–11, 198850%39%11%
March 8–12, 198851%37%12%
March 4–6, 198850%42%8%
January 22–25, 198849%40%11%

  majority approve  plurality approve  majority disapprove  plurality disapprove

1987

PollsterSegmentDate(s)ApproveDisapproveUnsure/no dataSampleMethodSource(s)
Gallup —December 4–7, 198749%41%10%—— [17] [6]
October 23–26, 198751%41%8% [17]
August 24–September 2, 198749%42%9%
August 7–10, 198745%41%14%
July 10–13, 198749%43%8%
June 8–14, 198753%40%7%
June 5–8, 198747%44%9%
April 10–13, 198748%43%9%
March 14–18, 198747%44%9%
March 6–9, 198743%46%11%
ABC News/ The Washington Post —March 5–9, 198747%52%1%—— [19]
CBS News/ The New York Times —February 28–March 1, 198742%46%12%—— [20]
Gallup —January 16–19, 198748%43%9%—— [17]

  majority approve  plurality approve  majority disapprove  plurality disapprove

1986

PollsterSegmentDate(s)ApproveDisapproveUnsure/no dataSampleMethodSource(s)
Gallup —December 5–8, 198648%43%9%—— [17]
December 4–5, 198647%44%9%
October 24–27, 198663%29%9%
September 13–17, 198663%26%11%
September 12–15, 198661%25%14%
August 8–11, 198661%27%12%
July 11–14, 198663%28%9%
June 9–16, 198664%26%10%
June 6–9, 198661%29%10%
May 16–19, 198668%23%9%
April 11–14, 198662%29%9%
March 4–10, 198663%26%11%
January 10–13, 198664%27%9%

  majority approve  plurality approve  majority disapprove  plurality disapprove

1985

PollsterSegmentDate(s)ApproveDisapproveUnsure/no dataSampleMethodSource(s)
Gallup —December 6–9, 198563%29%8%—— [17]
November 11–18, 198565%24%11%
November 1–4, 198562%28%10%
October 11–14, 198563%29%8%
September 13–16, 198560%30%10%
August 16–19, 198557%32%11%
August 13–15, 198565%26%9%
Newsweek All adults July 17–18, 198568%——753telephone [21]
Gallup —July 12–15, 198563%28%9%—— [17]
June 7–10, 198558%32%10%
May 17–20, 198555%37%8%
April 12–15, 198552%37%11%
March 8–11, 198556%37%7%
February 15–18, 198560%31%9%
January 25–28, 198564%28%8%
ABC News/ The Washington Post —January 11–16, 198568%28%4%—— [22]
Gallup —January 11–14, 198562%29%9%—— [17]

  majority approve  plurality approve  majority disapprove  plurality disapprove

1984

PollsterSegmentDate(s)ApproveDisapproveUnsure/no dataSampleMethodSource(s)
Gallup —December 7–10, 198459%32%9%—— [17]
November 30–December 3, 198462%30%8%
November 9–12, 198461%31%8%
October 26–29, 198458%33%9%
September 28–October 1, 198454%35%11%
September 21–24, 198457%36%7%
September 7–10, 198457%36%7%
August 10–13, 198454%38%8%
July 27–30, 198452%37%11%
July 13–16, 198455%35%10%
July 6–9, 198454%35%11%
June 29–July 2, 198453%37%10%
June 22–25, 198454%36%10%
June 6–8, 198455%33%12%
May 18–21, 198454%38%8%
May 3–5, 198452%37%11%
April 6–9, 198454%36%10%
March 16–19, 198454%39%7%
February 10–13, 198455%36%9%
January 27–30, 198455%37%8%
January 13–16, 198452%38%10%

  majority approve  plurality approve  majority disapprove  plurality disapprove

1983

PollsterSegmentDate(s)ApproveDisapproveUnsure/no dataSampleMethodSource(s)
Gallup —December 9–12, 198354%38%8%—— [17]
November 18–21, 198353%37%10%
October 21–24, 198349%41%10%
October 7–10, 198345%44%11%
September 16–19, 198347%43%10%
September 9–12, 198347%42%11%
August 19–22, 198343%46%11%
August 12–15, 198343%45%12%
August 5–8, 198344%46%10%
July 29–August 1, 198344%42%14%
July 22–25, 198342%47%11%
June 24–27, 198347%44%9%
June 10–13, 198343%45%12%
May 20–23, 198346%43%11%
May 13–16, 198343%45%12%
April 29–May 2, 198343%46%11%
April 15–18, 198341%49%10%
March 11–14, 198341%49%10%
February 25–28, 198340%50%10%
January 28–31, 198335%56%9%
January 21–24, 198337%53%10%
January 14–17, 198337%54%9%

  majority approve  plurality approve  majority disapprove  plurality disapprove

1982

PollsterSegmentDate(s)ApproveDisapproveUnsure/no dataSampleMethodSource(s)
Gallup —December 10–13, 198241%50%9%—— [17] [23]
November 19–22, 198243%47%10% [17]
November 5–8, 198243%47%10%
October 15–18, 198242%48%10%
September 17–20, 198242%48%10%
August 27–30, 198242%46%12%
August 13–16, 198241%49%10%
July 30–August 2, 198241%47%12%
July 23–26, 198242%46%12%
June 25–28, 198244%46%10%
June 11–14, 198245%45%10%
CBS News/ The New York Times All adults May 19–23, 198243%——1,470telephone [24]
Gallup —May 14–17, 198245%44%11%—— [17]
April 30–May 3, 198244%46%10%
April 23–26, 198243%47%10%
April 2–5, 198245%46%9%
March 12–15, 198246%45%9%
February 5–8, 198247%43%10%
January 22–25, 198247%42%11%
January 8–11, 198249%40%11%

  majority approve  plurality approve  majority disapprove  plurality disapprove

1981

PollsterSegmentDate(s)ApproveDisapproveUnsure/no dataSampleMethodSource(s)
Gallup —December 11–14, 198149%41%10%—— [17]
November 20–23, 198154%37%9%
November 13–16, 198149%40%11%
October 30–November 2, 198153%35%12%
October 2–5, 198156%35%9%
September 18–21, 198152%37%11%
August 14–17, 198160%29%11%
July 31–August 3, 198160%28%12%
July 24–27, 198156%30%14%
July 17–20, 198160%29%11%
June 26–29, 198158%30%12%
June 19–22, 198159%29%12%
June 5–8, 198159%28%13%
May 8–11, 198168%21%11%
April 10–13, 198167%19%14%
April 3–6, 198167%18%15%
ABC News/ The Washington Post —March 25–29, 198162%23%15%—— [3] [25]
—March 31, 198173%16%11%505telephone
Gallup —March 13–16, 198160%24%16%—— [17]
February 13–16, 198155%18%27%
January 30–February 2, 198151%13%36%

  majority approve  plurality approve  majority disapprove  plurality disapprove

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References

  1. ↑ Ritter, Dan (August 31, 2013). "Presidential market scoreboard: Reagan to Obama". USA Today . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Pinto, Jennifer (February 6, 2011). "Ronald Reagan's Presidency: A Polling Retrospective". CBS News . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Sussman, Dalia (August 6, 2001). "Poll: Reagan Approval Improves". ABC News . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Newport, Frank; Jones, Jeffrey; Saad, Lydia (June 7, 2004). "Ronald Reagan From the People's Perspective: A Gallup Poll Review". Gallup . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  5. ↑ Palmer, Ewan (September 21, 2022). "Joe Biden's Approval Rating Now as Good as Ronald Reagan's at Same Stage". Newsweek . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  6. 1 2 Gao, George; Smith, Samantha (January 12, 2016). "Presidential job approval ratings from Ike to Obama". Pew Research Center . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  7. ↑ Jones, Jeffrey (February 15, 2018). "Obama's First Retrospective Job Approval Rating Is 63%". Gallup . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  8. ↑ Salvanto, Anthony; De Pinto, Jennifer (December 3, 2018). "George H.W. Bush: The public's view of him during his presidency". CBS News . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Jones, Jeffrey; Saad, Lydia (November 19–21, 2010). "USA Today/Gallup Poll: November Wave 1" (PDF). p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  10. ↑ Saad, Lydia (December 6, 2010). "Kennedy Still Highest-Rated Modern President, Nixon Lowest". Gallup . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  11. ↑ Hudson, John (December 6, 2010). "Who's the Most Popular Modern President?". The Atlantic . Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  12. ↑ Jones, Jeffrey (June 16, 2006). "Americans' Retrospective Judgments of Clinton Improving". Gallup . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  13. 1 2 Sussman, Dalia (July 30, 2001). "Reagan Approval: Better in Retrospect" (PDF). ABC News . Archived from the original (PDF) on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  14. ↑ Sussman, Dalia (August 6, 2001). "Improving With Age: Reagan Approval Grows Better in Retrospect". ABC News . Archived from the original on August 9, 2001. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  15. ↑ Cosgrove-Mather, Bootie (June 7, 2004). "A Look Back At The Polls". CBS News . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  16. ↑ Roberts, Steven (January 18, 1989). "WASHINGTON IN TRANSITION; Reagan's Final Rating Is Best Of Any President Since 40's". The New York Times . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Ronald Reagan Public Approval". The American Presidency Project. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  18. ↑ Dionne, E. (May 17, 1988). "Poll Shows Dukakis Leads Bush; Many Reagan Backers Shift Sides". The New York Times . Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  19. ↑ Broder, David (March 11, 1987). "PUBLIC DOUBT LINGERS ON REAGAN, IRAN AFFAIR". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  20. ↑ Dionne, E. (March 3, 1987). "Poll Shows Reagan Approval Rating at 4-Year Low". The New York Times . Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Poll Finds Confidence In Reagan's Abilities To Meet Demands Of Office". Associated Press . Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  22. ↑ "68% Approval Rating for Reagan in Poll". Los Angeles Times . January 20, 1985. Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  23. ↑ "RATING ON REAGAN LAGS AT MIDTERM". The New York Times . January 16, 1983. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  24. ↑ Clymer, Adam (May 28, 1982). "POLL FINDS SUPPORT OFF FOR G.O.P. AND ITS POLICY BUT NOT FOR REAGAN". The New York Times . Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  25. ↑ Sussman, Barry (April 2, 1981). "Shooting Gives Reagan Boost In Popularity". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
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