Survey: Majority of Independent Voters Disapprove of Biden’s Handling of the War in Afghanistan

President Joe Biden has lost support from independent voters in his handling of the war in Afghanistan, an Economist/YouGov survey released this week found.

The survey asked respondents, “Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Biden is handling the war in Afghanistan?”

Half, overall, said they disapprove, and of those, 38 percent “strongly” disapprove. Just over one-third, 37 percent, expressed approval, and of those, only 14 percent said they “strongly” approve.

However, opinions vary greatly by party lines. A majority of independents, 58 percent, expressed disapproval, and of those, 44 percent said they “strongly” disapprove. The vast majority of Republicans, 88 percent, also disapprove. However, the bulk of Democrats disagree, as 70 percent said they at least “somewhat” approved.

Additionally, the poll found 64 percent expressing the belief that the U.S. evacuations from Afghanistan went poorly, and 63 percent said President Biden is responsible for that:

How would you describe the way the evacuation from Afghanistan
has been handled?

Well 23%
Badly 64%
.
Who is responsible for that? Check all that apply.

Biden 63%
Administration’s advisers 46%
U.S. military 28%
Afghan army 31%
Former Afghan government 33%

.@YouGovAmerica

— Political Polls (@Politics_Polls) September 2, 2021

The survey, taken August 28-31, among 1,500 U.S. adults, has a margin of error of +/- 3 percent.

The findings coincided with the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, which found Biden’s overall approval rating sinking among independent voters. Just over a third of independents, 36 percent, approve of Biden, reflecting a ten-point drop from the previous survey.

Overall, a majority of voters want Congress to investigate Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.