Siena Research Institute

Siena College, Loudonville, NY

 

For Immediate Release:  Monday, February 9, 2004

 

The Siena New York Poll for January: Approval Ratings, President and Congress

 

Bush Approval Falls 4 Points to 44%; Disapproval Up to 47%

President’s Highest Approval is for Handling War on Terrorism (59%);

Lowest is for Handling the Economy (37%)

Congress’ Approval Up 2 Points to 37%; Disapproval Down 3 Points to 44%

 

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Loudonville, NY –  President Bush’s overall approval rating fell 4 points in January to 44%, following an 11-point surge in December, according to the latest Siena New York Poll from the Siena (College) Research Institute (SRI). Congress’ approval rating went up 2 points to 37%.

 

The President’s approval decreased everywhere except among Republicans, which is up 6 points to 88%, and New Yorkers 55 and older, which is up 2 points to 45%. His approval suffered most in New York City, down 7 points to 33%. His approval fell 5 points among men (to 45%), New Yorkers under 55 (to 45%) and higher income households (to 47%).

 

The President’s 44% overall approval rating is 2 points below his January 2003 approval of 46%, and 2 points below his 46% 12-month approval rating average. The President’s approval was highest among Republicans (88%) and lowest among Democrats (23%). His disapproval rating went up 2 points to 47%, and is 3 points higher than his approval..

 

The Siena New York Poll Approval Ratings, January 2004 – Siena Research Institute Do you approve or disapprove of the way * is handling his/her job as ______?
	Approval	Chng	Disapproval	Chng	Don’t Know No Opinion	Chng
*President Bush	44%	-4 pts.	47%	+2 pts.	9%	+2 pts.
*U.S. Congress	37%	+2 pt.	44%	-3 pts.	19%	+1 pt.

 

SRI approval ratings are obtained by polling throughout an entire month with random telephone calls to 600+ New Yorkers age 18 and older. The President’s overall approval rating of 44% is based on responses to a single question: “Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President?”    In addition, SRI asked three more presidential approval questions. President Bush’s highest approval remains for his handling of the war on terrorism – up 4 points to 59%. He also lost two points each for his handling of Iraq (to 44%) and the economy (to 37%).    At the same time, a greater percentage of New Yorkers - 46% - say the economy is moving in the right direction, but even this is down 3 points from the previous month.

Congress’ approval made a series of gains resulting in an increase in overall approval of 2 points in January to 37%. Its most significant gains were among Independents and other party members  - up 9 points to 39%; women – up 5 points to 38%; and those age 55 and older – up 4 points to 31%. Its only losses were among Democrats – down 2 points to 30%; and men – down 2 points to 35%. Its highest approval is among Republicans (50%) and its lowest is among Democrats (30%).

 

Siena Research Institute

December Approval Rating: President and Congress

Monday, February 9, 2004

Page 2 of 2

 

Congress’ overall January 2004 approval rating of 37% is equal to its 12-month approval rating average and 3 points below its January 2003 approval of 40%.  Congress’ disapproval went down 3 points to 44% - 7 points above its approval; its “don’t know/no opinion” response went up 1 point to 19%.

 

“After a surge of approval in December, a likely response to the capture of Saddam Hussein, the President’s overall approval returns to the decline he experienced for most of 2003,” notes Joe Caruso, Director of Polling for the Siena Research Institute. “Once again, his disapproval rating outweighs his approval. The rhetoric of the Democratic primaries and caucuses are likely to have their effect, too. Still, approval for his handling of the war on terrorism rose nearly across the board; 59% approve, and only a third disapprove. Congress inches up in approval, but is still behind its ranking at the same time last year.”

 

This SRI survey was conducted during the month of January 2004 by random telephone calls to 620 New York State

residents over the age of 18.  It has a margin of error of +3.9 percentage points. For more information or comments,

please contact SRI Director of Polling Joe Caruso at 518-783-2901.  Survey Cross-tabulations and frequencies can be

found at:  www.siena.edu/sri/surveys.asp.

 

The Siena New York Poll for January 2004:

Approval Ratings, President and Congress

Approval Rating Comparisons	President Bush	U.S. Congress
Highest Approval	82% (10/01)	77% (10/01)
Lowest Approval*	37% (11/03)	33% (9/03)
Previous low:	39% (7/01)	34% (7/03)
Current Approval	44% (1/04)	37% (1/04)
Previous Approval	48% (12/03)	35% (12/03)
Rating one year ago	46% (1/03)	40% (1/03)
36 month average	55%	46%
12 month average	46%	37%
*since  February 2001