Title: Democrats Divided Over Biden’s Reelection Bid, but Alternatives Face Similar Challenges Against Trump
Introduction:
The recent Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted after the debate between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump reveals that while one in three Democrats believe Biden should end his reelection bid, no prominent elected Democrat fares better than Biden in hypothetical matchups against Trump. This article explores the poll results and sheds light on the challenges faced by Biden and potential alternative candidates.
Doubts Surrounding Biden’s Reelection Bid:
Even before the poll, Democratic voters had expressed reservations about Biden’s candidacy. A previous Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in January showed that 49% of Democrats believed Biden should not run again in 2024. Last week’s debate, during which Biden stammered and struggled to energetically challenge Trump’s attacks, further fueled doubts among Democrats. As a result, 32% of Democrats in the recent poll felt that Biden should give up his reelection bid.
Alternatives to Biden Face Similar Challenges:
Despite the calls for Biden to step aside, the poll reveals that potential Democratic replacements fare no better against Trump in hypothetical matchups. Vice President Kamala Harris, for instance, trailed Trump by only one percentage point, well within the poll’s margin of error. This statistical similarity indicates that Harris performs just as strongly as Biden. Furthermore, California Governor Gavin Newsom, a rising star in the Democratic Party, performed marginally worse than Biden and Harris when matched against Trump.
Deep Democratic Opposition to Trump:
The fact that relatively unknown Democrats like Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear can narrow the margin against Trump (36% to 40%) shows the depth of opposition to the former president among Democrats. Despite 70% of Democrats surveyed admitting they had never heard of Beshear, his competitive performance highlights the party’s strong aversion to Trump.
Analysis of Candidate Favorability:
The poll also examined favorability ratings for candidates. Biden received a favorable rating from 78% of Democrats, compared to 81% for Harris. Interestingly, 18% of Democrats believed that replacing Harris as Biden’s running mate would make the ticket more appealing. However, the majority (71%) disagreed with this notion.
The Question of Age:
Biden’s age remains a concern among Democrats, with 59% viewing him as too old to work effectively in government. This sentiment aligns with the findings of the January poll, suggesting that age is a persistent issue surrounding Biden’s candidacy.
Conclusion:
Although one in three Democrats believe Biden should end his reelection bid, no prominent elected Democrat performs better than him against Trump. The poll reveals that potential alternatives face similar challenges and perform as well, if not worse, in hypothetical matchups. Furthermore, there is a clear aversion to Trump among Democrats, as demonstrated by the competitive performance of relatively unknown candidates. Ultimately, the future of Biden’s bid and the Democratic Party’s prospects against Trump remain uncertain leading up to the November election.
