Article Summary –
A New York Times and Siena College poll has found that 61% of voters who supported Biden in the 2020 election now think he is too old to effectively lead the country. Anxieties about his age have increased since the 2020 election, but this concern is not as prevalent for Trump, despite him only being four years younger than Biden. The poll also revealed that the same level of concern regarding age is not expressed for Vice President Kamala Harris, although only 36% of all voters view her favorably.
Biden’s Age a Growing Concern for Voters
Concerns over President Biden’s age are posing a significant threat to his re-election campaign. A majority of his 2020 supporters now believe he’s too old to lead the country effectively, according to a recent poll. A significant 61 percent of voters who backed Biden four years ago now consider him “just too old” to be an effective president. Furthermore, around a fifth of those who voted for Biden in 2020 and 13 percent of those who said they would support him again expressed deep concerns about the 81-year-old president’s ability to handle the job due to his age.
Demographic Concerns
The doubts about Biden’s age are widespread, cutting across different generations, genders, races, and education levels. This trend underscores Biden’s inability to allay both internal party concerns and Republican accusations painting him as senile. Notably, 73 percent of all registered voters believed he was too old, and nearly half were doubtful of his capability to perform the job.
Rising Uncertainty Among Voters
This rising uncertainty has been evident in polls and conversations with Democratic officials. It appears to be growing as Biden edges towards officially securing his party’s nomination. Previous polling data indicate the growing reservations about Biden’s age. In surveys conducted in key battleground states, 55 percent of his 2020 supporters considered him too old for the presidency, a sharp increase from 16 percent in the previous election.
Trump’s Age Less of a Concern
Voters don’t seem to have the same anxieties about Donald Trump, who is just four years younger than Biden. Their potential rematch would make them the oldest presidential nominees in history. If re-elected, Biden would break his own record as the oldest sitting president, while Trump would be the second oldest if he won the election.
Indecisive Democratic Supporters
While Biden and his allies dismiss anxieties about his age and mental fitness, it’s becoming more challenging to reassure voters due to his advancing age. These concerns are not only persistent but are now shaping many voters’ perceptions of him. Opinion is divided among Democrats, with similar shares of the party considering each man too old to be an effective president.
Voters’ View of Vice President Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris isn’t seen more favorably than Biden, with only 36 percent of all voters having a positive view of her. Two-thirds of Biden’s 2020 voters expressed a positive view of Harris, nearly the same as for the president. In a head-to-head contest with Trump, Harris fared no better than Biden.
Overall Voter Perception
Generally, voters express warmer views about Biden than Trump. Over half of the registered voters believed the president had the personality and temperament to hold the office, compared to 41 percent for Trump. Among Republicans, 27 percent felt Trump lacked these traits, while 14 percent of Democrats felt the same about Biden.
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