With the midterm elections just three weeks away, President Joe Biden's approval ratings continue to slump, as every recent poll has shown that more Americans disapprove than approve of his job performance. Yet, there has been growing optimism from Democrats that the party can overachieve in November as Biden's numbers have steadily climbed in the last three months.

Amid a tumultuous political climate that included the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and economic worries about the COVID-19 pandemic, Biden began his term with polls showing an approval rating as high as 63%.

By August 2021, Biden's net approval ratings were trending in the red. A USA Today/Suffolk poll was particularly troublesome for the White House, as it showed Biden at a 41% approval rating and a dismal 55% disapproval rating.

Things didn't improve for much of the first half of 2022. Biden's poll numbers hit a sharp decline in June, as the Democrat-controlled Congress struggled to pass bills due to opposition from Democrat Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. By late July, Biden was hanging on to a 36.8% job approval rating.

But Biden has gained ground in recent months. He has a 40% job rating according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted from Oct. 4 -11, up from 36% in early July. This is similar to former-President Trump's approval rating at the same time of his presidency, which was 43%.

Right-leaning Rasmussen Reports conducted a poll that showed Biden at 44% approval and 54% disapproval -- a 7% increase in both categories compared to a report on July 24. An Economist/YouGov poll was even more encouraging for Biden, showing a 48% approval rating and a 51% disapproval rating.

The jump in approval ratings may be due to a number of recent legislative victories and as Republicans have faced backlash about their high-profile candidates.

Biden was able to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes electric vehicle grants, drug price caps, electric vehicle grants and a minimum corporate tax.

More of a boost may come soon, as Biden this week opened his student loan forgiveness application website, which could provide loan forgiveness for up to 20 million low- and middle-income Americans.

The moves come as Trump, the 2024 Republican frontrunner, is expected to be formally subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 committee this week and after his Mar-a-Lago home was raided by the FBI in August. Meanwhile, Herschel Walker, the Republican nominee in the hotly contested Georgia senate race, continues to face scrutiny for controversial comments and his abortion allegations.

It remains unclear if Biden's improved numbers and Trump's legal problems will have an impact in November. Republicans are favored to regain the House, while the Senate may hold for the Democrats.

An NBC News poll conducted in mid-September found that the two parties tied on congressional preference among registered voters, 46%-46%.

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