Opinion polling on the Reagan administration

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Opinion polling on the Reagan administration has tracked public opinion since 1981. Early in his presidency, Reagan survived an assassination attempt. CBS’s first poll showed 67% of Americans approved of his job performance, while ABC’s poll peaked at 73%. CBS ratings stayed above 50% until the 1982 recession and rising unemployment hurt his standing. Gallup’s polls reached a low of 35% in early 1983. As the 1984 election approached, his numbers recovered and stayed in the high 50s or higher for the next two years. In January 1987, Gallup found his approval at 49% amid the Iran–Contra affair. By December 1988, near the end of his presidency, support had risen to about 63%. Retrospective polls in the years that followed showed a majority of Americans continued to approve of his presidency.