Californians: Biden ‘Below Average,’ Newsom Too Focused on Presidency

Among California voters, Biden is viewed very poorly compared to other presidents, the latest Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll reveals. The poll, conducted April 21-28 among 6,201 registered voters, found that 43% described him as “Below average” or “One of the worst,” while only 23% considered him above average or one of the best. Among Democrats he fared slightly better, with 38% in the latter category and 17% on the negative side, but among Republicans, 85% said he was below average or one of the worst.

This opinion of Biden being a “below average” President bore out nationally in Gallup poll approval ratings as well. Of the presidents for whom Gallup has data, dating back to the Truman administration, Biden had the second-lowest average approval rating during his presidency, at 42.2%, higher only than Trump’s first-term rating of 41.1%.

Despite the Golden State’s strong Democratic lean, only 46% approve of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, while 46% disapprove. Among Democrats, 70% approve, while 15% disapprove. In 2022, he won the state 59.2%-40.8% against Republican Brian Dahle.

One reason for his net-zero approval rating, despite the state’s liberal lean, is the perception that he isn’t giving California his full attention. When asked whether Gavin Newsom is devoting more time to helping solve the state's problems or “doing things that might benefit him as a possible candidate for president,” 54% said he was doing things that would help his possible future presidency, while 26% said he was helping California. 

Even though Californians disapproved of Biden and are split on Newsom, they aren’t now enamored with Trump. The poll found that only 33% support the changes being made to how the federal government operates, while 63% are opposed.

Approval of Trump’s job performance overall in California is historically low compared to initial ratings of other presidents, at just 30%. In 2017, the poll found Trump had 39% approval in California. The next lowest approval rating of any president at the start of their term was George W. Bush's 42% in May 2001.

This approval is lower than his vote share in California, where he received 38.3% in 2024, an uptick from 34.3% in 2020 and 31.6% in 2016, despite California being Kamala Harris’ home state. Berkeley IGS co-director Eric Schickler said this suggests that “the gains he made in the last election have not translated into broader support for his policies among the state’s electorate.”

Despite Trump’s low approval rating, more people said they thought the country was heading in the right direction at 26%, compared to a January 2024 poll where only 23% said it was going in the right direction. Nationally, the RCP Average finds that 41% say the country is going in the right direction, while 52.1% say it’s going in the wrong direction.