Recent polling data reveals a challenging road ahead for President Joe Biden. A new national poll conducted by Marquette Law School indicates significant leads for the top three Republican candidates against Biden, signaling potential shifts in voter sentiment.
This month’s poll places former President Donald Trump slightly ahead of Biden among registered voters, with a 52% to 48% margin. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley also show strong leads against the incumbent president. DeSantis holds a 51% to 49% advantage, while Haley, also a former South Carolina Governor, leads Biden by a notable 55% to 45%. [Source]
Interestingly, Trump’s edge over Biden has grown since July when they were tied at 50%. DeSantis’ lead over Biden, meanwhile, has remained consistent. Trump is the only Republican candidate leading among independent voters, with a 54% to 46% margin over Biden. Biden leads DeSantis and Haley among independents but only narrowly.
Haley’s candidacy appears to resonate with a portion of Democrat voters, drawing 15% of their support, compared to 11% for Trump and 8% for DeSantis. This cross-party appeal could be a crucial factor in a general election matchup.
Despite these figures, the White House maintains a stance of measured indifference towards polling. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized the administration’s focus on delivering popular agendas rather than poll numbers.
David Axelrod, a former senior Obama campaign adviser, expressed on CNN the need for Biden to carefully assess his chances against Trump, emphasizing the importance of data and strategic considerations in deciding whether to run.
This poll comes at a time when Biden’s age and political viability are increasingly questioned, even within his party. A Yahoo News/YouGov poll revealed that a majority of Democrats and independents leaning Democratic are interested in seeing another liberal challenger in the primary. Biden’s age, notably, is a significant concern, with 55% of Americans considering it a “big problem.” [Source]
In the Republican primary race, Trump remains the favored candidate among registered Republican voters. DeSantis and Haley, while tied for second, lag far behind Trump’s 54% support. The poll also suggests a slightly more favorable perception of Trump’s fitness for office compared to Biden, with 38% affirming Trump’s fitness against 24% for Biden.
As these poll numbers suggest, the upcoming election cycle may present significant challenges for President Biden, particularly in attracting independent and cross-party voters.