With less than five months to go, the results of a new poll found that voters were split on key policy issues while zeroing in on their presidential choice. The findings assume importance, as President Joe Biden and Donald Trump will face off in the first presidential debate scheduled for Thursday.
Biden Vs. Trump: Voters preferred Trump as the better candidate to steer the economy than Biden, while the latter was preferred as an ideal option for preserving democracy in the U.S., a three-day Reuters-IPSOS poll that concluded Sunday showed.
Here’s how voter sentiment panned out:
- The number one concern among voters was the economy and 43% of the respondents said they think Trump has a better approach for the economy, while only 37% felt the same about Biden.
- On immigration, voters sided more with Trump (44%) than Biden (31%).
- Trump came on top with 39% support as far as foreign conflicts and terrorism are concerned, while Biden scored only 35% support.
- Biden was trusted by more voters to handle political extremism and threats to democracy than Trump, with 39% supporting the former and 33% the latter.
Biden’s Approval Rating Ticks Up: Across all respondents, Biden’s approval rating edged up from a record low of 36% in May to 37% in June. The primary concern among voters is the president’s age as he would be the oldest president in office if he were to be re-elected. His standing within the Democratic party has taken a hit due to disapproval of his support for Israel, Reuters said.
Why It’s Important: Despite voters’ apprehensions regarding Bidenomics – a term used to refer to the economic policies of the incumbent, the economy has fairly weathered the runaway inflation it witnessed in 2022. The economy continued to add jobs at a fairly robust pace so much so that Biden teased Trump about the job losses under the latter.
The stock market has been on a tear, with the broader market gauge, the S&P 500 Index, trading just shy of its record. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY), an exchange-traded fund that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index, has gained 49% since his Jan. 20, 2021 inauguration.
Pro-Bideners blame the negative voter view on the economy as perception rather than reality.
Biden and Trump are gearing up to face off in the first televised presidential debate to be held in Atlanta, which will be hosted by CNN. The debate is being held atypically early this year and will be conducted with a new set of rules that includes mic-off when the other person is talking and having no live-studio audience.
It remains to be seen if Biden and Trump can set the perceptions right to gain a decisive edge in a closely contested election.
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