A recent national poll shows a decline in the American public’s perception of several conservative Supreme Court justices over the past year. The YouGov/The Economist survey highlights a drop in net favorability ratings for Justices Clarence Thomas, Amy Coney Barrett, and Brett Kavanaugh. Comparisons with a similar survey conducted a year earlier reveal a shift in public opinion regarding the Supreme Court.
Changes in Favorability
Amy Coney Barrett experienced the largest decrease in favorable ratings, particularly in the “very unfavorable” category compared to the previous year. Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh also showed declines, with Kavanaugh’s net favorability swinging by -2 year over year, alongside Chief Justice John Roberts.
Overall, the Supreme Court’s approval has dropped. The survey indicates that public opinion about the Supreme Court remains deeply divided along party lines. Democrats generally view the court’s conservative justices negatively, while Republican opinion remains more favorable.
Poll Findings
The poll, released Tuesday, reveals a current Supreme Court approval rating of 36%, with 50% disapproving. Additionally, 9% believe the Court is “too liberal”, while 44% see it as “too conservative”. The poll follows several significant rulings on issues like birthright citizenship and presidential power. When asked if these decisions have granted the president too much or too little power, 45% said too much, 29% indicated the right amount, and 9% felt it was too little. Another 17% were unsure.
This survey polled 1,603 U.S. adults from July 3 to July 6, with a margin of error of 3.3%.
Supreme Court Justices’ Favorability
Chief Justice John Roberts, appointed by George W. Bush, has a favorability rating of 25% against a 36% unfavorable rating. This reflects a net approval of -11% this year, compared to -9% last year. Brett Kavanaugh holds a favorability of 27% versus 37% unfavorable, with a net approval of -10%, slightly worse than last year’s -8%.
Justice Neil Gorsuch, another Trump appointee, shows a 23% favorability with a 30% unfavorable rating, netting -7%. This is an improvement compared to last year’s -8%. In contrast, Justice Elena Kagan, appointed by Barack Obama, has improved to a net favorability of 6%, with favorable opinions growing to 30% and unfavorable declining to 24%.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor, also an Obama appointee, shows a positive shift, with a 37% favorability and 26% unfavorable, netting an 11% favorability. This is up from last year’s 4%. Justice Samuel Alito’s net favorability this year stands at -7%, with 25% favorable and 32% unfavorable ratings.
Amy Coney Barrett’s favorability dropped to 23% against 38% unfavorable opinions, marking a net change to -15% from last year’s -9%. Clarence Thomas holds a 29% favorability with a 41% disapproval, leading to a net -12% approval.
Lastly, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, appointed by Joe Biden, has a favorable rating of 34% with 26% unfavorable, resulting in a net favorability of 8%, up from 2% last year.
The previous poll, conducted between June 30 and July 2, 2025, surveyed 1,043 U.S. adults with a 4.3% margin of error.
Analysis of the Decline
Former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg shared insights with Newsweek, noting the decline in favorability is not due to a single ruling or president. Americans increasingly view the Court as political, especially following rulings like overturning Roe v. Wade and changes to the Voting Rights Act. Justice Barrett has particularly troubled both political parties with her decisions, explaining her more significant drop in public perception.
Newsweek contacted the Supreme Court for comment via email on Tuesday. Editor Edward T. Cummins is following this story closely.
Leave a Reply