President Barack Obama's approval rating in Wisconsin dipped to 44 percent in a new poll. That's the lowest of his presidency so far. The St. Norbert College Survey Center found the president's approval rating is down from 50 percent last fall and 60 percent a year ago, shortly after his term began.
St. Norbert political science professor Wendy Scattergood says history shows Mr. Obama's falling approval rating shouldn't come as a big surprise.
"It's kind of a normal pattern that presidents start out during their first year in their honeymoon period fairly high and then they dip down, so really, considering his been through the big health care battle, he actually didn't come out too badly. It's not that bad even though the majority of people think the country is not going in the right direction and disapprove of the job he is doing overall."
The poll also found the approval rating for Congress is far lower -- at just 14 percent. That's down dramatically from an already-low 39 percent a year ago.
While the president isn't up for re-election in November, many in Congress are, and analysts say incumbents better hope the economy turns around.
"Because we tend to tie a lot of our vote decisions to how the economy is doing, and particularly for the Main Street argument, the unemployment rate is what people are going to be looking at," Scattergood said.
