New polling from Quinnipiac University should send a flashing red signal to the Supreme Court—that is, assuming the conservative justices have any interest in maintaining a base level of credibility with the American public. Quinnipiac has been tracking the high court’s approval rating since 2004, and this week the court notched its worst-ever job approval rating since the outfit has been asking the question. 

“Among registered voters, the Supreme Court receives a negative 37 - 50 percent job approval rating, with 13 percent not offering an opinion,” writes Quinnipiac. “This is the worst job approval since Quinnipiac University began asking the question in 2004, and a steep drop from July 2020, when registered voters approved 52 - 37 percent.”

That’s a nearly 30-point swing in a little over a year. Not surprisingly, voters’ main complaint was that the court leans too far to the right. Nearly twice as many voters said it was too conservative (34%) as those saying it was too liberal (19%), with 34% saying it’s about right.

The conservative justices’ decision to greenlight the Texas abortion ban earlier this month likely didn’t do it any favors with the public since 67% of voters said they agreed with the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision establishing a woman’s right to an abortion. That’s up four points from just several months ago when 63% sided with the ruling in May.

More voters also believe it’s “likely” Roe will be overturned in the next several years, with 35% saying that now compared to just 28% in May. 

Somehow it seems doubtful that Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s speech this week downplaying the justices’ personal biases is going to do much to untarnish a Supreme Court that was hijacked by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and is now wildly out of step with mainstream America. Maybe next time don’t give that speech at University of Louisville’s McConnell Center after being introduced by McConnell to an adoring crowd of McConnell donors.