Biden lags further behind Trump in presidential polls: The Hill

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Hill
24 Nov 2023 11:10
1 Shares

Biden's decline of support is particularly noteworthy, considering that at the same time last year, he held a lead over Trump.

Joe Biden speaks during an event at The Queen Theater in Wilmington, Jan. 8, 2021 (AP)

In a recent poll conducted by Emerson College Polling from November 17 to 20 on 1,475 registered voters, former President Donald Trump has expanded his lead against President Joe Biden to a 4-point margin in a hypothetical 2024 presidential matchup.

The survey, released on Wednesday, reveals that Trump maintains a steady 47 percent support, while Biden's numbers have decreased from 45 to 43 percent, while 10 percent of respondents remained undecided, according to The Hill.

The Emerson College Polling survey also explored the impact of introducing third-party candidates into the hypothetical scenario, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, or Jill Stein. Interestingly, the inclusion of these candidates led to a decrease in support for both Trump and Biden, with a corresponding increase in undecided voters.

Biden's decline of support is particularly noteworthy, considering that at the same time last year, he held a lead over Trump. Spencer Kimball, the executive director of Emerson College Polling, highlighted this shift, stating, "Last November, Biden led Trump by 4 points, whereas this November, he trails Trump by 4."

Notably, the most significant drop in support for Biden came from the female demographic. While Biden enjoyed a 7-point lead among women last year, this was reduced to a one-point lead this year.

The survey also unveiled shifts in support from key demographics. Among voters of color, Biden experienced a decline, losing 15 points among Black voters and 11 points among Hispanic/Latino voters. Furthermore, Biden lost 13 points among voters under the age of 50 and 16 points among four-year college graduates.

Despite these shifts, voters overall expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Only 36 percent reported not being excited, with excitement levels varying based on candidate preference. Notably, 46 percent of Trump voters expressed being very excited about the election, compared to 29 percent of Biden voters.

When comparing GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley, Biden and Haley find themselves in a tie, each with 38 percent support. A quarter of voters remain undecided on this matchup.

A poll released earlier this month indicates that former President Donald Trump is currently ahead of the incumbent, Joe Biden, in five out of six critical battleground states, which are expected to play a crucial role in determining the winner of the 2024 presidential election.

The survey, conducted in partnership between the Siena College Research Institute and The New York Times, involved polling 3,662 registered voters in the states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The polling took place from October 22 to November 3.

"The only good news for President Joe Biden in this New York Times/Siena College poll is that it was conducted a year before voters go to the polls," Don Levy, director of Siena College Research Institute, said.

Former President Donald Trump held a lead over Biden in several key battleground states, with Trump ahead by 11 points in Nevada, 7 points in Georgia, 5 points in Arizona, 4 points in Pennsylvania, and 3 points in Michigan. Biden however maintained a 3-point lead in Wisconsin. It's worth noting that in the 2020 election, Biden had won all six of these battleground states. The poll also suggested that another Democratic candidate might have better odds in these states.

In the surveyed battleground states, a significant majority of voters expressed their disapproval of President Biden's job performance, with 59% disapproving. A notable 71% believed that he was too old to run for president again and 62% felt that he lacked mental sharpness. In contrast, only 38% considered former President Trump too old, and 54% believed that Trump possessed the mental sharpness required for the presidency. These findings indicate a challenging political landscape for President Biden in these key states.