A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll indicates that a significant number of Americans who voted for President Joe Biden in 2020 are expressing dissatisfaction with the economy under his leadership.
Some of these voters are uncertain about supporting him in the 2024 election, potentially paving the way for a rematch against former President Donald Trump, who currently leads the Republican nomination contest.
Among the respondents who voted for Biden in 2020, 19% said they are unsure about voting for him again or would consider someone other than Biden or Trump. Surprisingly, 6% of Biden's 2020 voters expressed their intent to vote for Trump in the next election.
Concerns about the economy were evident among Biden's 2020 voters in the poll, with 42% stating that the economic situation is worse now compared to 2020, while 33% believed it is better, and 24% considered it to be about the same.
The White House is working to reverse this sentiment, with plans for visits to various towns across the country to raise awareness of Biden's efforts to boost the economy. Biden himself will be visiting Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah to highlight the Inflation Reduction Act's impact on manufacturing and climate change.
While 78% of Biden's 2020 voters in the poll approved of his overall performance as president, there exists a critical division among them. Those who disapprove of his performance were twice as likely to view inflation as America's most significant problem, while supporters of Biden emphasized the dangers of political extremism.
The poll results underscore the potential lack of enthusiasm for Biden's candidacy in 2024 and raise concerns about Democrats' turnout and the possibility of independent voters who previously supported Democrats switching to the Republican camp.
The economy has been a major challenge during Biden's presidency, with households grappling with severe inflation, though recent data suggests a decline in the rate of price increases. Economic growth has been modest, but the unemployment rate has improved.
As Biden's administration navigates these challenges, there is a recognition of the need to better communicate his policy successes and build support among those voters expressing economic concerns.
The poll was conducted online nationwide, gathering responses from 2,009 U.S. adults, with a credibility interval of about three percentage points. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.