GOP Pollster Says Voters Think Biden ‘Too Old’ – A recent Wall Street Journal poll has revealed that a significant portion of voters believe Joe Biden is too old to seek a second term as President.
The poll indicated that in a hypothetical 2024 match-up between Biden and former President Donald Trump, the two candidates would be evenly matched, each with 46 percent support.
It has garnered widespread attention across mainstream media outlets such as MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News. It is the latest in a string of polls expressing negligible voter enthusiasm for either top White House candidate.
However, the poll was conducted in part by Tony Fabrizio, a Republican pollster who had previously worked on Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. What’s more, Fabrizio’s firm conducted the survey in partnership with a Democratic colleague, Michael Bocian.
Manafort Links
Liberal magazine The New Republic claim this affiliation raises concerns about the poll’s impartiality, and it is essential to note that Fabrizio also currently works for a super PAC supporting Trump’s potential candidacy in 2024.
FEC filings reveal that since the beginning of 2023, Trump’s super PAC, Make America Great Again Inc., has paid Fabrizio’s company over $567,000.
Furthermore, Tony Fabrizio has ties to former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, who was convicted of tax evasion and bank fraud in 2018. Fabrizio’s firm was involved in a questionable payment of $125,000 to Manafort in 2017.
Additionally, Fabrizio was the lead Trump campaign pollster when Manafort provided raw polling data to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, through Manafort’s associate Konstantin Kilimnik. Notably, Deripaska has been under U.S. sanctions since 2018, and Kilimnik has been identified as a Russian spy.
While the Wall Street Journal acknowledged Fabrizio’s affiliation with Trump’s super PAC, it did not mention his role in the 2016 campaign or his connections to Paul Manafort. These revelations have sparked controversy over the poll’s integrity and the potential influence of partisan interests on its results.
Concern Over Biden’s Health, Trump’s Character
While both Biden and Trump maintain their positions as front-runners within their respective parties, the poll reveals divergent challenges facing them.
President Biden’s age appears to be one of his major hurdles, with approximately 73% of voters deeming him too old for a presidential run, while only 47% hold the same view regarding Trump.
Furthermore, 36% of voters believe Biden possesses the mental acuity required for the role, compared to 46% for Trump.
Concerns surrounding President Biden’s age stem from reported incidents of stumbling, occasional confusion regarding countries and dates, and other similar blunders.
For Trump, the challenge lies more in his character, as 38% of voters perceive him as honest, while 45% believe Biden is trustworthy. In terms of likability, 48% of voters find Biden appealing, while only 31% hold the same sentiment for Trump.
However, Trump enjoys a more favorable stance among voters when it comes to policy accomplishments, with 51% acknowledging his strong track record as president, compared to 40% for Biden.
Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio told the WSJ: “If this race is about personality and temperament, then Biden has an advantage. If this race is about policies and performance, then Trump has the advantage”.
As the 2024 presidential race looms on the horizon, this poll’s credibility and that of the various candidates will continue to provoke debate.
Former Vice President of the United States Joe Biden speaking with supporters at a town hall hosted by the Iowa Asian and Latino Coalition at Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 33 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
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