Biden, a Democrat aged 81, is still plagued by doubts from voters about the economy’s strength, concerns over the border security and crime, as well.
The Republican former president Trump, aged 77, has his own concerns, including four criminal proceedings on charges related to his efforts to overturn 2020 presidential elections and his handling classified documents. A conviction before the Nov. The poll showed that a conviction before the Nov.
The poll found that Trump had a 2-point edge in a head to head matchup. 38% vs 36%. 26% of respondents said they were not sure or could vote for someone else.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is an anti-vaccine activist who has run as an independent candidate. Kennedy, a member of a storied family, was more likely to be supported by Biden than Trump, according to the poll.
When respondents had the option of voting for Kennedy, Trump’s advantage grew to 5 points.
When given the choice, 16% of respondents chose Kennedy, while Trump received 36%, and Biden 31%.
Kennedy’s uncle, John F. Kennedy, served as president, and his father Robert was a Senator and Attorney General. He faces a challenge in collecting enough signatures to be on the ballot of all 50 states. A super PAC fund-raising committee supporting Kennedy’s campaign said last week that it would spend as much as $15 million in order to get Kennedy onto the ballot of 10 states.
Even without winning, third-party candidates can influence the outcome of U.S. election results. In 1992, Ross Perot’s strong performance helped Democrats Bill Clinton win the White House. And in 2000, Democrats blamed Ralph Nader for Al Gore losing to Republican George W Bush.
Due to the state-by-state Electoral College used to select presidents and the deep-seated partisan divisions, voters from only a few states will have a major impact on the outcome of this election.
Biden led by 4 points among Americans who were certain to vote in the seven states with the closest 2020 election — Wisconsin, Pennsylvania. Arizona, Georgia. Nevada, North Carolina, and Michigan.
Biden’s age is a concern for some voters, according to other polls. He would become the oldest president to be elected for a second term.
The new poll revealed that his candidacy will likely be bolstered by public support for abortion rights as well as gun control, climate change measures, and higher taxes on ultra-rich people.
The survey highlighted that Trump’s campaign faces significant risks as he faces criminal trials in the coming year. About 31% of Republican survey respondents said that they would not vote Trump if he were convicted by a jury of a felony. He has denied all criminal wrongdoing.
Some 45% said that Trump is the best candidate to handle the economy compared with 33% who chose Biden.
Biden had an advantage over Trump on the abortion issue, as 44% of respondents said he was a better candidate in terms of access to abortions, compared with 29% of respondents who chose Trump.
Trump’s popularity may also be tied to the concerns of some voters regarding crime and immigration. When asked which candidate they preferred, 42% chose Trump for crime, compared with 32% who chose Biden.
Fifty-four per cent of respondents agreed that “immigration makes life harder for native Americans,” and a similar percentage said Trump was the best candidate to address the issue.
Reporting and editing by Scott Malone, Rosalba o’Brien and James Oliphant