New Poll Suggests Joe Biden Could Be In Trouble – The 2024 presidential election may be decided by who’s the least unpopular rather than the most popular, given the current polls.
For President Joe Biden, that’s bad news. A new CNN/SSRS poll released on Thursday gave Biden an approval rating of just 39%, with 70% of Americans believing the country is going “badly.”
In addition, registered voters were split evenly between Biden and former president Donald Trump. It’s still early doors in the election run-up, but such a close race in the polls was seldom seen prior to Biden’s win in 2020.
Concerns Over Joe Biden
Voters across America continue to doubt whether President Biden is fit for office. 58% of respondents said that his economic policies had changed the country for the worse, an increase of eight points compared to this time last year.
The same percentage reported an unfavorable impression of Biden, with only one-third describing him as someone they would be proud to have as president. An even smaller share of the public (28%) believe he inspires confidence, while 26% (down six points from March) believe he has the sharpness and stamina to serve effectively as president – declines predominantly driven by Democrats and independents.
Moreover, around three-quarters of Americans (73%) said Biden’s age might negatively affect his physical and mental competence, as well as his ability to serve a second full term if re-elected (76%).
The Realities of U.S. Politics
In a two-party democracy, any successful presidential candidate must win over independents and swing voters to secure the White House.
Granted, in CNN’s poll, Biden has greater support from these cohorts than Trump. However, that’s in a head-to-head preferential poll. Come November 5, 2024, third-party candidates will play a factor.
The No Labels group have toyed with the idea of running with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, which could convince discontented Democrats to lend their vote elsewhere.
Of course, there’s still a long way to go before voters head to the ballot boxes. Next year, the President will be on the road campaigning, while his likely adversary will be in the courtroom.
Although criminal charges have broken convention so far, Trump’s popularity may change should a man who is currently legally innocent be found guilty.
Unfortunately for President Biden, he is not getting any younger – a key concern from many voters including within his own party. Furthermore, the economy is an important factor in any election, and even the most anti-Trump Democrats accept that it was stronger under the former president.
While the economy is improving, real wages have failed to match inflation for more than a year, and it will take some time before many Americans feel economically secure.
Both the incumbent and likely challenger have their liabilities; it will be up to the voters to decide who has the least.
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.
