Staff Reports
President Joe Biden’s campaign seems gleefully clutching at straws, celebrating what they perceive as a glimmer of hope in a new Fox News poll. The poll shows Biden leading former President Donald Trump by a razor-thin margin, 50%-48%, in a head-to-head matchup. Sure, they found a silver lining with older voters, but they haven’t popped any champagne bottles yet, Team Biden.
In the 2020 election, older voters favored Trump, and now the poll suggests that these voters lean towards Biden at 57%-42%. This shift is allegedly the result of Biden’s relentless pandering to an age group he’s exceedingly familiar with – the seniors. Biden’s efforts to come across as mentally sharp while straining coherent sentences together have yielded some fruit.
Joe Biden's campaign is seeing a glimmer of hope, with a new poll showing him leading Donald Trump overall — and with one of the former president’s key demographics. https://t.co/cktRXQ0Vfm
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) June 21, 2024
Despite Biden’s campaign gaining slight traction, it’s essential to note that even his lead in the Fox News poll falls within the margin of error. Since Biden won by a more comfortable 4.5 points nationally in 2020, this new poll says he’s treading water. Moreover, those feeling buoyed by Biden’s lead with older folks might want to peek at a few other crucial demos where he’s sinking faster than the Titanic.
Biden’s grip on Hispanic and Black voters is slipping like sand through fingers. The poll indicates Biden leading Trump with Hispanic voters 53%-43%, a notable drop from his 63%-35% win in 2020. With Black voters, the lead shrinks to a worrisome 73%-27% compared to a 91%-8% thrashing he delivered three years ago. These numbers spell trouble for a candidate who once enjoyed a stranglehold on these key voting blocs.
A closer inspection reveals that while Biden and Trump have strongholds within their respective parties, Biden holds a slim 52%-43% edge over Trump with independent voters. This figure mirrors his numbers from 2020, leading to the question: Is Biden’s progress stagnant? With the election a mere four months away, both candidates are gearing up for their first debate scheduled for next Thursday on CNN. The showdown may be a last-ditch effort for Biden to shore up his sagging support.
Looking ahead, both conventions loom on the horizon. The Republican National Convention is set for mid-July in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Trump will rally his base just after being sentenced in his hush-money case—a fact that, amusingly, 94% of Fox News poll respondents couldn’t care less about. The Democratic National Convention follows in August in Chicago, Illinois, where the Biden camp can only hope to hold on to its dwindling support and attempt to reverse the downward trend with minority voters.
One thing is evident as the political circus continues: the race remains tight and fraught with twists and turns. Biden’s champagne might be on the ice, but those corks stay firmly in place.
