A recent survey conducted by the AP-NORC Public Affairs Research Center indicates that a strong majority of Americans believe President Joe Biden should withdraw from his presidential race. The nationwide poll reveals that seven out of ten respondents want him to step down and let the Democrats nominate another candidate for the office. This is a significant increase compared to February, where only about a third were in favor of this idea.
Among Democrats, 65% share the same sentiment – they want their party to choose a different candidate for the upcoming election. The concerns raised by these respondents are primarily based on President Biden’s mental capacity and his ability to effectively serve another term. In fact, roughly 70% of Americans expressed ‘not very/not at all confidence’ in Biden’s mental capability to fulfill his presidential duties.
Throughout his campaign, the 81-year-old politician has faced public scrutiny over potential cognitive and physical decline. However, concerns deepened following a CNN-hosted debate with Republican frontrunner Donald Trump last month, where Biden’s performance was widely criticized for its lack of coherence and clarity. He repeatedly lost his train of thought, mixed up words and numbers, and struggled to finish his sentences.
This led to internal dissent within the Democratic Party, with many high-ranking members and campaign donors urging Biden to drop his reelection plans. Despite these criticisms, President Biden has dismissed concerns over his cognitive abilities and rejected the possibility of withdrawal from the race. He claims that he would only step down if advised by doctors or influenced by divine intervention.
In contrast, although few Americans are confident in either candidate’s mental capability to be the next leader, they show more trust in Donald Trump’s faculties than Biden’s. The survey reveals that 30% of respondents express confidence in Trump’s ability to handle the role of president, while only 14% feel the same about Biden. Furthermore, the pollster states that these respondents are more likely to believe that Trump can win the election and is capable of managing a crisis.
The AP-NORC Public Affairs Research Center conducted this survey between July 11th and 15th among a sample of 1,253 American adults, revealing the increasing skepticism regarding President Joe Biden’s mental capacity to serve another term in office.