Democratic strategists say that’s evidence that voters want Congress to pass the economic programs. They argue that Biden and the party’s sagging approval will recover once they deliver.

“Voters are deeply cynical about what politicians say they will do, so Democrats need to actually get it done,” said Jesse Ferguson, a Democratic strategist who has worked on House and presidential campaigns. “This gap won’t close by telling people what we will do. It will close by showing people what we are doing.”

But to reap political gain, Democrats emphasize, they’ll need Biden’s megaphone to sell what they’re doing.

“We’re about to deliver universal pre-k and extend a game-changing middle-class tax cut. The job now is to go out and sell it. So I’m encouraged to see that Joe Biden’s begun to tour the country connecting with Americans like only he can,” said Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., the chairman of House Democrats’ campaign arm. “It will take dozens of events by the president to spread the message.”