Nearly two-thirds of Democrats are in favor of President Joe Biden stepping aside from the presidential race to allow the Democratic Party to select a different candidate, as indicated by a recent poll. The survey conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reveals a decline in Democrats’ confidence in Biden’s mental capability to effectively serve as president, with only about 3 in 10 expressing high confidence in his abilities compared to 40% in a previous poll.
The poll illustrates the hurdles the 81-year-old president faces as he strives to address calls from within his party to withdraw from the race and persuade Democrats that he remains the best candidate to challenge Donald Trump. Despite Vice President Kamala Harris receiving increased scrutiny amid discussions about Biden potentially stepping down, her favorability rating is similar to his, though with a slightly lower percentage of Americans holding an unfavorable opinion of her.
The survey highlights that Black Democrats are among Biden’s most ardent supporters, with around half indicating he should continue running, in contrast to approximately 3 in 10 white and Hispanic Democrats. Overall, seven in 10 Americans believe Biden should exit the race, with Democrats only marginally less likely than Republicans and independents to support the idea of a new nominee.
Younger Democrats, in particular, are keen on Biden leaving the race and express dissatisfaction with his candidacy. About three-quarters of Democrats under 45 advocate for Biden’s departure, while around 6 in 10 older Democrats share this sentiment. The poll suggests that Americans are more inclined to believe Trump could win the 2024 election compared to Biden.
Despite the challenges and discontent Biden faces, he remains confident in his ability to reverse the situation to his advantage. The survey also indicates that a significant proportion of Americans view Biden as more honest than Trump. Additionally, a considerable percentage of Democrats view Vice President Harris favorably and believe she would make a good president.
The recent poll was conducted from July 11-15, 2024, and polled 1,253 adults, reflecting a snapshot of current viewpoints among the American population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is around plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
