Donald Trump could beat Joe Biden in next year’s presidential race, a new poll suggests.
President Biden’s approval rating has sagged, leaving him 4 points behind former president Trump, according to a Wall Street Journal survey of 1,500 registered voters.
On a hypothetical ballot between just the two candidates Trump would receive 47 percent of the vote to Biden’s 43 percent.
Trump’s lead rises to 6 points, 37 percent to 31 percent’s, when five potential third-party and independent candidates are included.
The survey found widespread discontent with the president’s policies, including his economic agenda and concerns over his age.
61 percent of those polled saw Biden’s overall image in an unfavorable light, a record high.
Similarly some 37 percent approved of Biden’s job performance.
More than half of voters saw ‘Bidenomics,’ the president’s signature economic platform unfavorably.
Two-thirds of voters rated the economy as poor or not good, and two-thirds say the economy has gotten worse in the past two years, during Biden’s time in office.
Economic anxiety is felt particularly acutely among younger voters, an important pillar of the Democratic coalition.
Less than one-third of voters under age 35 say the economy is in good shape, for example, compared with 40 percent of those ages 65 and older.
This is despite indicators such as surging GDP growth, moderating inflation and low unemployment indicating a strong economy.
Only 23 percent of voters say Biden’s policies have helped them personally, while 53 percent say they have been hurt by the president’s agenda.
Widespread pessimism seems to hang over voters with 48 percent say they don’t believe this generation will do better than the one that came before.
It is not all bad news for Biden however, with respondents saying they trust him more than Trump on abortion, an issue proven to boost support for Democratic candidates.
The survey also found that those who are undecided on the presidential race lean Democratic in other survey questions, suggesting that they could be persuaded to back Biden nearly a year from now.
It comes after a New York Times poll taken late October through early November showed Trump beating Biden in five of the six battleground states key to winning the 2024 election.
Biden turned 81 in November, amidst doubts from pundits and polls whether he is still fit to lead.
The President has seen repeated questions over his fitness for office with less than a year to the 2024 election.
When asked to respond to concerns about his age in November the White House swerved and tried to rattle off a list of his achievements.
‘Because of President Biden’s decades of experience in public service and deep relationships with leaders in Congress, he passed legislation that has helped to create more than 14 million jobs, lower prescription drug costs, invest in America’s infrastructure and technology and led to the strongest economic recovery in the developed world,’ White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt said.
But some of his staffers still believe he needs protecting, with a new strategy being set out to stop him falling or getting lost on stage like he has on multiple occasions.
Some described it as putting the president in bubble wrap until November 2024 to make sure he doesn’t trip or fall in public again, like he did at an Air Force Academy commencement in June.
Yet other current and former administration officials vehemently disagree and called for him to hit the campaign trail to ‘show his vigor’ and ‘boast about his age rather than ignore it.’
Veteran Democrat strategist Simon Rosenberg is in the latter camp, saying Biden should hit home his age and experience even harder.
‘He’s been successful because of his age, not in spite of it,’ Rosenberg said.
‘We’re all going to have to make that case because it’s true. We can’t run away from the age issue.
‘It’s going to be a major part of the conversation, but we would be making a political mistake if we don’t contest it more aggressively.’
But John B. Judis, a longtime political strategist and author, suggested Biden’s age has made him look less presidential.
‘He doesn’t look and speak the part,’ Judis said. ‘He’s not a commanding or charming presence on a presidential or presidential election stage.’
Judis praised many of Biden’s legislative achievements, including infrastructure and fighting climate change but said that his ‘public performance’ has been poor.
