Biden gains ground for 2024, but Trump looms as formidable foe - Age & lack of enthusiasm in Democrats remain key is
President Biden's approval ratings have risen, but a close race with Trump and lukewarm enthusiasm among Democrats are key concerns.
President Joe Biden leaves St. Edmund Roman Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach, Del., after attending a Mass, Saturday, July 29, 2023.(AP)
According to a recent New York Times/Siena College poll, President Joe Biden's approval ratings have slightly increased, giving him a modest advantage as he prepares for the 2024 presidential race. Democrats, who were initially split over his campaign for reelection, have now overwhelmingly accepted him as their representative, albeit half of them still favor a different candidate.
Head-to-head race with Trump
In a possible rematch for the 2024 election, Biden risks a close battle against former President Donald J. Trump despite an improved reputation among Democrats. In the poll, they each received 43 percent of the votes. Even with ongoing criminal investigations, Trump continued to enjoy a large lead among potential Republican primary voters.
Lack of enthusiasm among Democrats
Many Democrats are displaying lukewarm enthusiasm, suggesting that Biden has broad but not particularly strong support among his party.Only 20% of Democrats indicated they would be excited to see Biden as the nominee in 2024, while 51% would be content but not thrilled.As a prospective candidacy, Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, received only 26% of the support.
Recovery from last year's downfall
Biden's favor ratings have dramatically improved since last summer, when Democrats were largely unsatisfied with his re-election campaign.As of right now, only 50% of Democrats are unhappy with his nomination, compared to 64% last year.
Women, suburban voters, white voters with college degrees, and Black voters are just a few of the demographics that continue to strongly favor Biden and were essential in his victory in 2020. Early indications, though, point to a potential weakness among Hispanic voters, who have tended to support Republicans in recent elections.
Approval rating and economic perception
Although extremely low for an incumbent president seeking reelection, Biden's current popularity rating of 39 percent has increased from 33 percent in July. Compared to a year ago, more Americans (23%) think the nation is headed in the right direction. Additionally, more Americans (80%) than in 2022 (just 10%) believe that the economy is doing well.
Concerns about Biden
Democrats who want someone else to be the nominee continue to be most concerned about age, with 39 percent saying that it is a problem. 20 percent of employees are concerned about their job performance, and 14 percent are searching for a new job.
President Biden will confront both problems and support as he proceeds forward with the 2024 election. Although his favor ratings have increased, his lack of enthusiasm among Democrats and a close race with Trump suggest a difficult battle is ahead.
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