Trump, DeSantis Beat Biden In ABC/WaPo Poll As Joe's Approval Hits Record Low
A new ABC News/Washington Post poll has thrown a big splash of cold water on President Biden's nascent re-election bid -- showing him losing in match-ups with either Donald Trump or Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
In two 2024 matchups, here's how things stack up among Americans who say they would "definitely" or "probably" vote for a given candidate:
Trump 44% Biden 38%. Undecideds lean Trump 49-42.
DeSantis 42%, Biden 37%. Undecideds lean DeSantis 48-41
That's not all: Biden's approval rating took a 6-point dive from its February level to reach an all-time low of just 36%. Against data going all the way back to Truman, that's the worst score for any first-term president at this point in his term. Three predecessors who were in same ballpark -- Ford (40%), Carter (37%) and Trump (39%) -- failed to win second terms.
The Biden administration's over-the-top emphasis on race in all manner of political nominations and appointments hasn't done a thing to improve his standing with blacks. In the most jarring of the new poll's results, Biden's approval rating among blacks has fallen a staggering 30% from his inauguration -- plummeting from 82% to 52%.
Heading into 2024, watch for Biden to dangle an empty commitment to reparations over the heads of black voters, just as he hit younger Americans with a loan-forgiveness head-fake ahead of the 2022 midterms.
A hefty 56% of Americans disapprove of what Biden's done in office, and his perceived handling of the economy is a big reason why. In a 54%-to-36% rout, Trump is perceived as having done a better job with the economy. The economy ball-and-chain will only grow heavier for Biden as we move farther into the dark seas ahead.
Biden's age is clearly undermining public confidence. A full 68% of Americans think Biden is too old for a second term. He's 80 today and would be 86 at the end of another term, assuming he lived to see it. While Trump is only four years younger, only 44% of American's think he's too old.
It isn't just age that worries Americans -- it's also Biden's observed condition. Only 32% think he has the mental acuity to be an effective president. Trump's score on having requisite sharpness has actually risen -- to 54% today from 46% in 2020. On physical fitness, only 33% give Biden a thumbs-up. Trump almost doubles him up, with 64% saying he's sufficiently fit.
Even the Blue Team groans in anticipation of a Biden 2024 bid: Only 36% of Democrats want Biden nominated again, with 58% wanting someone else.
There's some bad news for Trump too, as 56% say he should face charges related to alleged illegal attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, and 54% think he should face criminal charges over handling of classified documents and his actions relative to the Jan. 6 riots. Forty-one percent think Biden is honest and trustworthy, compared to 33% for Trump.
As much as these new results are likely to dampen Democrat confidence, those hoping for a Republican takeover of the White House should remember that many a midterm poll pointed to a red wave that never materialized.
