A recent poll reveals that a significant majority of voters are questioning President Joe Biden’s fitness for a second term in office due to his age. Conducted by The Wall Street Journal, the survey indicates that 73% of voters feel Biden, who is 80 years old, is too old to run for re-election. This sentiment is shared by two-thirds of Democrats and aligns with previous findings from an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll.
The age question also extends to 77-year-old former President Donald Trump, who is campaigning for a second term as the GOP frontrunner. The poll shows that 47% of voters consider Trump too old for the role. Democratic pollster Michael Bocian and Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio, who collaborated on the survey, both agree that voters are seeking change that neither of the leading candidates can offer.
Biden, already the oldest individual to assume the presidency, would be 86 years old by the end of a second term. His occasional lapses in speech and instances of tripping have fueled concerns about his capability to lead effectively. Despite these issues, Biden continues to dominate Democratic primary polls, outpacing challengers like Robert F. Kennedy and Marianne Williamson.
Public figures like Hillary Clinton have also weighed in on the age debate. Clinton stated that Biden’s age is a legitimate concern for voters. The Wall Street Journal’s survey, which involved 1,500 registered voters and has a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points, also explored other aspects of Biden’s and Trump’s candidacies. It found that 36% believe Biden is mentally fit for the presidency, compared to 46% for Trump. Additionally, Biden scored higher on questions related to likability and honesty, while Trump outperformed him on a record of accomplishments and vision for the future.
The poll also revealed that only 39% of voters have a favorable view of Biden, with 42% approving of his job performance and 57% disapproving. In a hypothetical matchup, both Biden and Trump received 46% support from voters.
