Joe Biden’s recent debate turned out to be a complete train wreck, reminiscent of a slow-motion car crash that just won’t end. Democrats are now frantically trying to find the best way to salvage their sinking ship. In one of his rare moments of clarity, Biden expressed enthusiasm about running against Donald Trump again, claiming he has already defeated him once. The irony couldn’t be richer, as current polling shows Trump leading Biden. Any other Democrat in Biden’s shoes probably wouldn’t fare any better, a reality that even Democrats are grudgingly beginning to accept.
Data for Progress has thrown some gasoline on the fire with their latest poll. The numbers are clear: Trump is leading Biden by 3 points, and he’s beating a whole array of other Democratic hopefuls by similar margins. Trump’s ahead of Biden 48-45 percent, and the same story unfolds against Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Cory Booker, Gavin Newsom, Gretchen Whitmer, Amy Klobuchar, Josh Shapiro, and JB Pritzker. Each one is trailing behind Trump, evidenced by results like 47-44 or 46-43. Democrats might want to consider a different strategy or perhaps a miracle.
Only 51% of Democrats say that Joe Biden should remain as the Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential election.
This represents a 12-point drop among Democrats since Data for Progress asked the same question in early March. pic.twitter.com/BYVpOKtpB9
— Data for Progress (@DataProgress) June 29, 2024
Adding to the drama, former First Lady Michelle Obama’s name has been floated as a possible Hail Mary. Ted Cruz even speculated she would be the logical choice if Democrats kick Biden to the curb. Apparently, the Democrats’ strategy to avoid alienating their key voter base—specifically black women—requires another black woman to replace Harris. Data for Progress revealed that 39 percent of Democrats would stick with Harris if Biden gets the boot. Newsom and Buttigieg lag behind at 18 and 10 percent, respectively. Democrats must love their high-stakes game of musical chairs.
But wait, there’s more. The poll found a shocking dip in Democratic enthusiasm for Biden. Overall, 51 percent of likely Democratic voters think Joe should remain their nominee, a drop of 12 points since March. Meanwhile, 26 percent prefer Biden gracefully exit and allow delegates to pick a new candidate. Kamala as the next nominee? Only 17 percent think that’s a good idea. Yet, a whopping 75 percent of likely Democratic voters believe the race will be a Trump-Biden showdown. It’s like watching a tragicomedy unfold in slow motion.
NEW POST-DEBATE POLL: In a new survey, 45% of likely voters choose Biden and 48% choose Trump in a head-to-head matchup.
However, there is no clear advantage among the alternative candidates who could replace Biden as the Democratic nominee.https://t.co/o0lW7DVJ4D pic.twitter.com/cY4OAqN4rm
— Data for Progress (@DataProgress) June 29, 2024
Interestingly, when the public was asked to pick who won the debate, Trump emerged as the clear victor. A staggering 56 percent of viewers thought Trump decimated Biden, while a meager 27 percent sided with the President. Among those who bothered to watch the debate, 62 percent backed Trump. Republicans stick with their guy; 90 percent think Trump won, compared to a mere 57 percent of Democrats who could muster up the enthusiasm to say Biden did a decent job. These numbers surely throw cold water on any Biden re-election fantasies.
Let’s not forget, President Biden is performing miserably in terms of approval ratings post-debate. Trump has a 51 percent approval rating, which laughs in the face of Biden’s paltry 32 percent. The general sentiment among voters is a wish for better choices, which 40 percent voiced. Democrats, naturally, wish it even more at 42 percent. But at the end of the day, Trump is perceived as the stronger candidate, better equipped to solve the nation’s problems, and more fit to run the country. Biden? He’s lagging way behind in every essential category, practically begging for someone to throw him a lifeline—if only the Democrats could agree on who that should be.