Voter Approval Rises for Obama

For the first time in seven months, more voters say that they approve of President Obama’s job performance than say they disapprove. The margin is small — 48% approve and 46% disapprove — but it could mean that the slow improvement in the country’s economy is being recognized by voters and that the President is getting the credit.

The most recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll also notes an 8-point increase in the number of voters who believe the country is headed in the right direction. The number remains low, just 30%, but in mid-October just 17% of voters thought the country was pointed in the right direction.

For any potential Republican challenger to the President’s re-election, the new polls are headed in the wrong direction. This means that the rhetoric and the maneuvering are likely to get turned up to ‘11’ as political campaigning heats up ahead of November’s election.