A poll released on Monday claims President Joe Biden now trails former President Donald Trump in six battleground states following their first presidential debate, where the president’s performance prompted at least five Democratic congressmen to call for him to step aside.
First revealed by Alex Ward, a reporter for German-owned Politico, the poll was conducted by Emerson College on behalf of Democrats for the Next Generation, a political group which appears to highlight Democratic alternatives to the 81-year-old incumbent.
Trump enjoys highest level of support in Pennsylvania, where the pollsters reported 48 percent of voters support him compared to 43 percent who support Biden.
The former president enjoys a similar polling advantage in Georgia, however, as the pollsters found 47 percent support him compared to 42 percent who support Biden, giving him a 5 percent lead over his successor.
In Arizona, the pollsters found Biden was down by 4 percent with the support of 41 percent of voters, while was ahead by 4 percent.
Biden trails Trump in ever key swing state, per new Emerson/DemNextGen poll conducted after debate pic.twitter.com/k06OIC6SCr
— Alex Ward (@alexbward) July 8, 2024
Trump enjoyed his greatest lead in Nevada, where the pollsters found the former president leads Biden by 6 percent. The pollsters found Biden is supported by 41 percent of Nevadans, while Trump has the support of 47 percent.
The pollsters found the race is closest in Michigan, where Biden trails Trump by just 1 percent. Polls are similarly tighter in Wisconsin, where they found Biden trails Trump by 3 percent.
While Democrats for the Next Generation does not explicitly call for Biden to step aside on its website, the group highlights the president’s claim to be “a bridge to the next generation of leaders,” and features 10 Democratic politicians who are ready “to take the reins.”
Democratic politicians named in the group’s “10 Under 60” list include Vice President Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
“Thank you, President Biden, for saving democracy in 2020,” the group wrote above the list. It offered, “Meet the next generation of leaders.”
Fallout from Biden’s poor debate performance against Trump was exacerbated in Pennsylvania last week after the president appeared for interviews with Philadelphia radio hosts that were later revealed to be scripted, with the president’s campaign approving the hosts’ questions prior to his appearances.
Andrea Lawful-Sanders, one of the hosts who admitted to accepting questions from the Biden campaign, was later fired by WURD Radio.
Questions about Biden’s fitness could even hurt other Democrats on the ticket, as Republican U.S. Senate nominee Dave McCormick has sought to tie Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) to the 81-year-old president, noting the men frequently tout the closeness of their friendship.
Most recently, McCormick accused Casey and other Democrats of engaging in a “conspiracy of silence” to protect the president’s public image.
McCormick has also called for administration officials to consider their “responsibility” to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Biden from office if he is unable to fulfill his duties.
In Virginia, where Biden won soundly the 2020 election, Governor Glenn Youngkin declared after the debate that the commonwealth “is in play,” with voters ready for the “strength” that Trump represents.
While Representative Don Beyer (D-VA-08) reportedly compared Biden to Jesus Christ at a Virginia fundraiser, he would later dispute reports claiming he privately called for the president to “step aside now.”
Biden has kept the support of Georgia Democratic Party chair Representative Nikema Williams (D-GA-05), who acknowledged “Biden is the only person who can make the decision” to drop out or remain in the race.
Watch the first presidential debate:
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Donald Trump” and “Joe Biden” by CNN.Â
