First lady’s favorables at 66 percent

Michelle Obama’s favorable rating has remained largely unchanged in the last three years, holding at 66 percent in a recent poll. 

A Gallup poll released Monday found only 29 percent of people have an unfavorable view of the first lady. Since mid-2011, her rating has remained in the mid-60s.

{mosads}Ninety-two percent of Democrats have a favorable view of the first lady, and 61 percent of independents agree. Another 43 percent of Republicans have a favorable view. 

Her rating has constantly been higher than President Obama, whose favorable rating was at 52 percent in Gallup’s latest poll. Favorable ratings are a separate measure than approval rating. President Obama’s approval rating had been hovering in the mid-to-low 40s in recent polls. 

The first lady’s popularity was an asset on the campaign trail for the president in 2012. She brought in $31 million, and has attended a number of fundraisers for the party this year. 

First ladies tend to have higher favorable ratings than their husbands because of the less controversial portfolio that they take on. Michelle Obama has been increasingly in the spotlight in recent weeks with her “Let’s Move” campaign and her effort to retool nutrition labeling requirements. 

Her average favorable rating is higher than Hillary Clinton’s average during Bill Clinton’s presidency (56 percent). But both Barbara Bush (77 percent) and Laura Bush (73 percent) had higher average ratings, though Barbara Bush’s average only covers a four-year term. 

The poll surveyed 1,023 people early last month and has a 4-percentage point margin of error.