Job Approval Rating | featured news

In the opening moments of her second turn at history, as Michelle Obama waves at celebrants along Pennsylvania Avenue, Americans will clamor to see the first lady, who remains one of the most popular public figures in the country. In the most recent poll, fully 73 percent said they approve of the way she is handling her job.

President Obama's job approval rating and level of voter support have reached the critical 50% point, according to Gallup, but there is still plenty of opportunity for the White House race to fluctuate. Gallup says Obama's job approval rating stands at 51%. At the same time, the president leads Mitt Romney 50%-44% among registered voters in the daily tracking poll -- similar to where the race stood after the Democratic convention this month.

President Obama is still reaping the dividends from this month's fight with the House GOP on extending the payroll tax. Obama's approval ratings are higher than his disapproval ratings for the first time since July, according to the latest Gallup Poll. About 47% of Americans approve of the way he is doing his job, while 45% disapprove of his performance. The three-day tracking poll was conducted Dec. 21-23.

Although President Obama still enjoys higher job approval ratings from Hispanics than he does from the public at large, a new Ipsos-Telemundo poll shows the president’s support among Hispanics continues to decline.

Congress has reached a new low in job-approval ratings, with only 11% of adults giving lawmakers good marks in the latest Gallup Poll.

Party members who are up for reelection are happy to benefit from the president's fundraising abilities, but most are keeping their distance as his job approval rating has fallen. President Obama has hardly avoided the campaign trail this year, appearing across the country to raise money for candidates and urge supporters to get out to the polls in November.