President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are neck and neck in the race for public support, with Biden making vital strides to narrow Trump’s early lead, as revealed by a recent survey conducted by The New York Times and Siena College.
According to the poll, Trump holds a marginal one-point lead over Biden, with 46% of registered voters favoring Trump compared to 45% for Biden as reported by Newsmax on Saturday, April 13, 2024.
This marks a notable improvement for Biden since late February when Trump led by five percentage points, with 48% support against Biden’s 43%.
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The survey, conducted from April 7-11, sampled 1,059 registered voters and carries a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.
Biden’s resurgence appears to stem from gaining traction among traditional Democratic voters, as he secures a higher proportion of support from those who backed him in the 2020 election compared to previous polling data.
In the previous poll, Trump retained 97% of his past voters, while Biden lagged behind at 83%.
However, the latest findings indicate a narrowing margin, with Trump now securing 94% of his previous voters compared to Biden’s 89%.
Despite the shift in voter sentiment, several aspects of the race remain consistent.
Both Biden and Trump continue to face challenges regarding their popularity among voters, with a vital portion expressing doubts about their suitability for office.
Most notably, a majority of voters perceive Biden, aged 81, as too old for reelection, while concerns about Trump’s alleged federal crimes persist.
The survey reveals that 69% of voters believe Biden is too old to serve effectively, whereas only 41% hold similar doubts about Trump, who is set to turn 78 in June.
However, among voters aged over 65, skepticism towards Biden’s age diminishes significantly.
The release of the poll precedes the commencement of jury selection for Trump’s criminal trial in New York City, where he faces charges related to falsifying business records in connection to payments made to Stormy Daniels, a former adult star.
Trump also faces felony indictments in three other cases, though only a quarter of voters claim to closely follow his legal proceedings.
While Biden’s support sees a slight uptick among Black and Latino voters, it still falls short of traditional levels of Democratic support.
Biden’s backing primarily derives from older voters and women, as opposed to men and younger demographics.
On the issue of the economy, Biden encounters particular challenges, especially among young voters who overwhelmingly perceive the economy as fair or poor.
Despite this sentiment, a majority of respondents approve of Trump’s handling of the economy during his presidency, contrasting sharply with their disapproval of Biden’s economic performance.
Similarly, Trump receives higher approval ratings for his handling of immigration, with a crucial majority expressing dissatisfaction with Biden’s approach to the issue.
In other key findings, a minority of voters approve of Biden’s management of conflicts in Ukraine and Israel, while an even smaller percentage support his handling of foreign affairs overall.
Disapproval of Biden’s foreign affairs performance is particularly pronounced among voters under 45.
Perceptions of Biden and Trump’s impact on democracy are divided, with equal segments of voters viewing them as both beneficial and risky choices for the United States.
Additionally, a majority of respondents consider the upcoming charges against Trump related to his business records as fairly serious, with notable gender discrepancies in perceived seriousness.
