A recent survey conducted in January by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center exposed an unsettling truth about Joe Biden’s poor reputation amongst the New Hampshire populace. Surprisingly, the majority believe that his time in office falls short of mediocrity. The survey reported that more than half of the individuals found his tenure to be underwhelming, if not outright terrible.
In a previous survey conducted in August 2024, less of the respondents had such an unfavorable view of Biden. Yet, the January survey showed that 54% of the respondents regarded Biden’s tenure as below par, or even amongst the worst in history. This indicates a significant decline in his public perception; only 17% considered his run to be above average, and a meager 6% considered him one of the best presidents.
Biden’s net approval rating presented a dismal picture of his presidency. The score stood at -16 indicating that a majority of New Hampshire residents disapproved of his performance. Even though 82% of Democrats initially supported Biden when he took office, the same could not be said by the time he stepped down.
Biden’s approval among Democrats dwindled dramatically from 97% when he first entered office to 65% by the end. This precipitous plunge signified that even those within his own party grew weary of his performance. When it comes to Donald Trump, however, the reaction shows a marked contrast.
Trump’s net favourability, while also at -16, marks the highest it has reached since December of 2020. Moreover, he has an impressive favourability rating among fellow Republicans, standing at a staggering +64, revealing a stark disparity when compared to the Democrats’ -97.
The raw emotions prevalent within New Hampshire residents concerning Trump’s anticipated second term painted an explicit picture: 50% expressed unhappiness or even outrage, while 43% displayed enthusiasm or satisfaction. Party affiliation played a significant role in these sentiments, with 96% of Democrats expressing discontent or anger and 85% of Republicans showcasing satisfaction or excitement.
Interestingly, the residents of the other New England states surveyed were not as exhilarated about Trump’s presidency. The Trump-favoring sentiment was more pronounced among New Hampshire residents than those living in Massachusetts or Connecticut.
One of the striking features of Trump’s campaign was his audacious promises. He vowed to implement harsh immigration policies such as mass deportation of illegal immigrants, imposing tariffs on imported goods, and depriving children born to unauthorized immigrants of citizenship. As per the survey, the majority believe that he will make these campaign promises a reality.
Trump has indeed acted on these vows, already announcing executive orders addressing these issues. However, both Democrats and Republicans in New Hampshire remain skeptical of some his other tall promises. These include peculiar plans like integrating Canada into the United States or acquiring Greenland, which have raised reasonable doubts among the people.
The promises also sparked different expectations among party lines. For instance, 89% of Republicans believe Trump would successfully end the Russia-Ukraine war, a sentiment shared by merely 25% of Democrats. The idea of prosecuting Biden and his family complete divides the audience: while 71% Democrats think it is a real possibility, only 24% Republicans consider it likely.
The Senate hearings for Trump’s cabinet choices also targeted two specific appointments. Opinions about Pete Hegseth, slated for the Defense post, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominated for Health and Human Services, were largely unfavorable. The New Hampshire majority were against their approval due to some glaring concerns.
Hegseth faced serious allegations of sexual assault and misconduct which tainted his reputation. Kennedy came under fire for his controversial and dangerous anti-vaccine views. The dissatisfaction was reflected in the survey, with 50% against Hegseth and 51% disapproving Kennedy.
Despite the controversies surrounding the cabinet picks, most New Hampshire respondents insisted that congressional Democrats should aim to collaborate with Trump administration. Cooperation, even at the risk of causing disappointment among some Democratic voters, was seen as a more constructive approach.
Both the aforementioned surveys were conducted online. They garnered a total of 1,280 responses collected over a span of five days, from January 16th to 20th, 2025. With the margin of error being +/- 2.7%, it’s reasonably likely that the sentiments captured in these surveys echo the true sentiments of the wider New Hampshire populace.