Gallup is walking away from one of the most closely watched barometers in American politics, ending the publication of its presidential approval ratings after roughly 80 years.
The polling firm, which has long been treated by the media and political class as an authority on public sentiment, confirmed that it will stop releasing approval numbers for individual politicians sometime this year, according to Western Journal. The move comes after decades in which Gallups presidential approval series was routinely cited as a measure of political strength or weakness, particularly for Republican presidents who often faced a hostile press eager to weaponize any dip in support.
Explaining the decision, a Gallup representative said the shift reflects an evolution in how Gallup focuses its public research and thought leadership. The representative added, Our commitment is to long-term, methodologically sound research on issues and conditions that shape peoples lives.
Gallup emphasized that it is not abandoning polling altogether but redirecting its efforts toward broader social and economic indicators. That work will continue through the Gallup Poll Social Series, the Gallup Quarterly Business Review, the World Poll, and our portfolio of U.S. and global research, the representative said.
The organization framed the end of approval tracking as an internal realignment rather than a response to political or media pressure. The representative said the end of the approval ratings is part of a broader, ongoing effort to align all of Gallups public work with its mission, adding, We look forward to continuing to offer independent research that adheres to the highest standards of social science.
When pressed on whether outside forces played any role in the decision, Gallup denied that politics or controversy were factors. This is a strategic shift solely based on Gallups research goals and priorities, the representative said.
Gallup itself acknowledged that the media and polling landscape has changed dramatically since it first began measuring presidential approval. For nearly a century, Gallups U.S. polling has provided rigorous, independent insight into the American people their perspectives, values and lives, the company said, noting, Leadership ratings have been part of Gallups history. At the same time, the context around these measures has changed.
With countless outlets now churning out approval numbers and aggregators turning polls into a constant political scoreboard, Gallup suggested its once-unique product has been diluted. The company said its ratings are now widely produced, aggregated and interpreted, and no longer represent an area where Gallup can make its most distinctive contribution.
Even as it exits the presidential approval arena, Gallup will retain a foothold in political measurement that will still shape coverage of partisan divides. As noted by The Washington Post, Gallup will continue to release quarterly estimates of political partisanship through national random-sample phone surveys, ensuring that debates over party identification and voter alignment will remain very much alive even as one of the most iconic metrics in American politics quietly disappears.
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