Supreme Court's approval rating hits near-record lows
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Just 43% of Americans approve of the way the Supreme Court is doing its job — almost a record low, according to a new Gallup survey conducted after the court's most recent term.
The big picture: Public opinion of the court is a reflection of which side is winning the big cases. Approval has recently plunged among Democrats.
By the numbers: Republicans are overwhelmingly happy with the court, but it's underwater with Independents and scraping rock bottom among Democrats, with just 15% approval.
- These partisan splits were reversed not too long ago. Just 18% of Republicans approved of the high court in 2015, after it recognized a nationwide right to same-sex marriage.
- But now — as the court has gotten more staunchly conservative, and in the wake of rulings overturning Roe v. Wade and shielding former presidents from criminal prosecution — Democratic approval has hit a new low.
What's next: It's likely to stay this way for a while. The 6-3 court delivers very few big wins for liberals, and the court will likely have a solidly conservative majority for years, perhaps decades.
Why it matters: Overall public approval of the Supreme Court has been below 50% since 2021. That has potentially significant implications even for the conservatives who are getting their way in the most important cases.
- Anger at the court is clearly motivating Democrats to vote, and pushing proposals to change the makeup of the court itself closer to the party's mainstream.
- And while the justices have long tried to position themselves and their work as apolitical, these types of wild swings in public approval suggest that voters don't see it that way, no matter which side they're on.
Go deeper: Amy Coney Barrett makes her mark
