Nearly 66% of Democrats believe President Joe Biden should step aside from the presidential race and allow the party to select a different candidate, as per a new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll was mainly conducted before an attempt on Trump’s life, and while it’s uncertain if the incident affected opinions about Biden, responses after the event did not indicate an improvement in his standing.
According to the poll results, the confidence in Biden’s mental fitness among Democrats has decreased, with only around 30% expressing strong confidence in his ability to effectively serve as president, down from 40% earlier this year. Dissatisfaction with Biden has also increased within the party, with approximately half now unhappy with him as the nominee compared to 40% in a previous poll.
The survey shows that Black Democrats are more supportive of Biden, with about half indicating that he should continue his campaign, while younger Democrats are more inclined for him to step down and express dissatisfaction with his candidacy, especially those under 45 years old, where three-quarters think he should withdraw. Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris, who faces increased scrutiny amid discussions about Biden’s future, is viewed slightly more favorably than Biden, with fewer Americans holding an unfavorable opinion of her.
In contrast, Republican respondents exhibit a more unified front in support of Trump, with approximately 60% of Americans overall wishing for Trump to withdraw, but only 25% of Republicans sharing the sentiment. Republicans are more satisfied with Trump as their candidate following the debate, and it’s unclear whether recent events have further solidified their support.
Regarding the perceived ability to win the 2024 election, more Americans believe Trump is capable compared to Biden, with 42% favoring Trump and 18% favoring Biden. Additionally, Trump is seen as the stronger candidate by an overwhelming majority of Republicans. Biden, however, is viewed as more honest than Trump by 40% of respondents, although 20% hold the opposite opinion.
The poll, conducted from July 11-15, 2024, surveyed 1,253 adults and showed that most Americans are not familiar with JD Vance, Trump’s selected running mate at the time. Six in 10 individuals do not know enough about Vance to form an opinion, while 17% view him favorably and 22% negatively.
