US presidential elections: Trump has six point lead over Biden, says poll

Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump has developed a six per cent lead over his Democratic rival incumbent Joe Biden with 80 per cent saying that the current White House occupant is too old to run for a second term, according to a latest poll by The Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal said Trump’s lead over Biden in a two-person matchup, 48 per cent to 42 per cent is the widest in Journal surveys dating to late 2021 and compares with a 2-point lead in February.

The new survey began interviewing voters two days after the debate with Trump that left Democrats panicked about the 81-year-old president’s possible cognitive decline and their party’s weakening election prospects in November, the daily reported.

According to the survey, Democrats show significant discontent with Biden as their nominee. Some 76 per cent say he is too old to run this year, or about the same share as Republicans who hold that view. Two-thirds of Democrats would replace Biden on the ballot with another nominee, it said.

Importantly, the survey found that Vice President Kamala Harris is non-popular among the respondents.

“Some 35 per cent viewed Harris favourably and 58 per cent unfavourably in the new survey, about the same as in February’s poll and roughly in line with views of the president,” The Wall Street Journal said.

“The new survey also includes warning signs for the Democratic Party as it tries this fall to retain control of the Senate and retake a majority in the House,” it added.

First Published: Jul 04 2024 | 8:02 AM IST