Not since the 1912 contest between Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft have voters had the chance to assess the records of two individuals who have held the presidency.

Despite harboring strongly critical opinions of both President Biden and his predecessor, Americans express more favorable views of Donald J. Trump’s policies compared to those of Mr. Biden, as per New York Times/Siena College polls.

In total, 40 percent of voters believe that Mr. Trump’s policies have personally benefited them, while only 18 percent express a similar sentiment about Mr. Biden’s policies.

Contrarily, 43 percent of voters believe that Mr. Biden’s policies have adversely affected them, almost double the percentage who feel the same about Mr. Trump’s policies, according to the latest Times/Siena poll.

The phenomenon of presidents being remembered more positively after leaving office is not unprecedented, DNYUZ reported.

A retrospective analysis of nine out of the past 11 presidents, including Mr. Trump, indicated a 12-percentage-point increase in job performance approval after leaving office, as per a June Gallup poll.

The recent Times/Siena polls underscore the relatively favorable regard for Mr. Trump’s policies, even among groups impacted by issues Democrats hope will be significant in the 2024 elections.

For many respondents, this preference appears to be primarily influenced by economic considerations.

Written by B.C. Begley