The Polls Don’t Look Good for Joe Biden: President Joe Biden’s age and his handling of the economy are among the top concerns of Americans, according to a new Wall Street Journal poll.
Approved by just 42% of the 1,500 respondents, the 80-year-old Biden’s age is a concern for 73% of Americans, while three-fifths believe he is not “mentally up for the job.” His likely adversary in 2024, on the other hand, saw less than half of respondents believe the same on both factors.
Registered voters largely disapproved of Biden’s handling of the economy (59%), inflation (63%) and growth of the middle class (58%), according to the poll. His handling of the war in Ukraine and the U.S. foreign policy towards China also received negative approval ratings.
It’s The Economy…
The economy remains top of Americans minds heading into next year’s elections, with 24% of voters in the latest poll stating it is their top priority.
The President has touted Bidenomics as a solution to rising costs and spiraling inflation. Granted, inflation has dropped from its June 2022 peak, but real wage rises are yet to catch up. When you use your own name to title your monetary policy, voters know who’s responsible for their economic woes.
Just 23% of respondents believe the country is heading in the right direction, while nearly two-thirds (63%) expressed a negative view on the strength of the economy, including 36% who called it “poor.” Moreover, nearly three-fifths of registered voters (58%) said the economy had worsened under Biden’s administration, compared to 28% who said it had improved.
On specific issues, 74% of those polled said inflation had moved in the wrong direction over the past year, while an overwhelming 86% said the same about the cost of housing. More than half of respondents (54%) added that their own financial situation had worsened over the same period.
Employment, at least, seems to be an area where Biden has performed comparably well. 45% of voters said the job market had moved in the right direction, compared to 44% who said it hadn’t.
Joe Biden vs. Trump
Both Biden and Republican frontrunner Donald Trump would receive 46% support if an election were to be held today. Despite this, they each remain favorable among 39% of voters, with 58% holding an unfavorable view.
A desire for change perhaps, although Trump cemented his monumental advantage among Republican primary voters. 59% of GOP voters intend to vote for Trump, while just 13% of that same group expressed support for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis – an 11-point drop since the last comparable poll in April.
Despite this, Gov. DeSantis remains popular as a second-choice candidate, amassing support from 35% of Republican voters. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley rounded out the best of the rest.
The poll had a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points with 1,500 respondents.
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist based in Canada. He has written for the Western Standard, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo, and has covered notable events including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
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