Poll: Americans approve of Obama's legacy but don't necessarily want to see it continue

But Americans’ positive opinion of the president didn’t translate into an argument for electing a Democratic successor, nor does there seem to be much desire to maintain his legacy. Eight years after Obama ran for office on a slogan of “change we can believe in,” the nation is still keen on trying something different, according to a new HuffPost/YouGov survey. Fewer than a third of respondents said they want to see President-elect Donald Trump continue Obama’s policies. A majority of respondents said they hope their new commander in chief strikes out on a different path on everything from the nation’s economy to the political atmosphere in Washington.

Forty-eight percent of Americans approve of Obama’s performance as president, while 44 percent disapprove, according to the HuffPost/YouGov survey. Obama’s approval rating in this survey is significantly lower than in most other polls, in which the outgoing president has enjoyed ratings well into the mid-50s since Trump’s victory in November.

Respondents to the HuffPost/YouGov poll were equally likely to say Obama changed the country for the better or for the worse, at 39 percent each. And 22 percent said that he has had neither a positive nor a negative effect on the nation or that they were unsure.