New Vanderbilt poll shows Tennesseans are growing frustrated with elected officials and direction of the country

Tennesseans aren’t happy with the performances of Democratic President Joe Biden or Republican Gov. Bill Lee. That’s according to a Vanderbilt University poll that gathered responses from 1,000 registered voters in the state. The poll shows Tennesseans are dissatisfied with the direction of the country. 

There’s growing disdain for elected officials from both parties, according to the poll. President Biden’s approval rating among Tennesseans has dropped 8 points since December to 31%. Gov. Lee’s rating has also dropped over the same period but remains above 50%. 

Inflation is largely to blame. When polled in December, nearly half of voter-eligible Tennesseans thought the U.S. economy was in good shape. That’s dropped to under 30%.  

Results show that 38% of those polled want former President Donald Trump to return to the White House. 

In that same poll, 80% of respondents support keeping abortion completely legal or legal under some conditions. There’s also bipartisan support for criminal justice reform with the majority of Democrat and Republican voters showing approval for major changes. 

Vanderbilt’s poll also asked voters about other current issues:

• Causes of polarization: Political parties appear to agree that social media is one of the root causes of the nation’s current divide.  
• Banned books: 65% of Republicans say that public schools should have a committee of parents and community members to review and remove books they find offensive. Only 25% of Democrats say that is appropriate.  
• Fear of COVID: Tennesseans’ fear of COVID is declining. 
• Scientific discovery: 47% of Tennesseans say they support state and federal governments supporting scientific discovery. Factoring in people who support “a moderate amount of scientific discovery,” the number increases to 75%.  
• Health care: Nearly two-thirds of the public opposes restricting access to health care for transgendered citizens. By contrast, Tennesseans strongly favor that students be required to play on school athletic teams that match their gender at the time of birth.