US election 2024 - Calls for Biden's withdrawal grow louder - which woman could replace him
After his disappointing performance in the television debate against Donald Trump, pressure on Joe Biden is growing. Some Democratic colleagues have publicly questioned Biden's re-election bid due to his age, and recent polls suggest that the Democrats have a better chance of defeating Trump if Biden is not their candidate.
Biden weighing further steps, according to "New York Times"
The pressure seems to be having an effect on Biden. According to a report in the "New York Times," Biden told a key ally that he knows his candidacy may not be salvageable if he cannot convince the public in the coming days that he is fit for the job. The White House denied this claim as "absolutely false," but the question remains: Who would replace Biden in the race for the presidency if he steps down?
The polls may provide an answer: According to a CNN survey, 45% of registered voters would support Biden's vice president, Kamala Harris, if she ran against Trump. This puts her in contention with the Republican, who receives the support of 47% of voters.
However, Trump leads Harris by six percentage points (49 to 43%) in a head-to-head matchup. This gap is identical to the results of a national CNN poll on the presidential race in April and is consistent with the numbers that the network has been collecting since last fall.
Harris is the most promising Biden replacement, according to polls
Harris' better performance against Trump is surprising, as she was previously seen as notoriously unpopular. According to CNN, at least part of this can be attributed to broader support from women and independent voters and voters. Fifty percent of female voters prefer the Democrat over the Republican, while only 44% prefer Biden. The gap is even greater among independents, with 43% supporting Harris and 34% supporting Biden.
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The stern team on site keeps you informed every Saturday in the free newsletter "Inside America" about the latest developments and gives insights into how American women and men really look at their country. After entering your email address, you will receive a confirmation email. We handle your data confidentially. Compared to other politicians currently being mentioned as potential Biden replacements, Harris is leading the pack – although other candidates also perform better than Biden. California's popular governor, Gavin Newsom, and Michigan's governor, Gretchen Whitmer, trail Trump by five percentage points, while Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is only four percentage points behind.
A similar picture emerges from a Yahoo News survey conducted by Yougov: In a hypothetical two-way race against Trump among registered voters, Harris trails behind the former president with 45% to 47%. The gap between Harris and Trump at Yougov is the same as that between Biden (43% to 45%), but Harris has a slightly higher approval rating. According to pollsters, Harris performs better among independents than her boss and is also more popular among voters between 30 and 44 years old.
In a Reuters news agency survey in collaboration with Ipsos, Harris trails Trump by only one percentage point, 42% to 43%. Biden and his challenger are tied in the poll with both at 40%. And all the discussed Democratic alternatives to the president perform poorly.
Governors discuss further action with Biden
Despite the turmoil caused by Biden's debate performance in the Democratic Party, the polls show that Biden has not lost significant ground in voter support compared to Trump. In other words, the Republicans have not been able to capitalize on Biden's disastrous appearance.
Harris, for her part, continues to support Biden. "Joe Biden is our candidate," she told CBS News. "We beat Trump once, and we'll beat him again."
It remains unclear whether the rest of the party shares this optimism. According to media reports, the governors of Democrat-governed states held a telephone conference on Monday to discuss their concerns and anxieties regarding Biden's candidacy. At a Wednesday evening meeting with the president, which is expected to be both in person and virtual, they plan to speak directly with him. "Joe Biden is our candidate, and I support him 100%, unless he makes another decision," Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said beforehand. "We will discuss what the best way forward is."
A way forward could be to put a candidate against Trump in the race who has long been discussed as a potential US president: Michelle Obama. According to Ipsos, the former First Lady would defeat Trump 50% to 39%. The only downside: The wife of former President Barack Obama has repeatedly made it clear that she has no political ambitions.
- Despite pressure from some Democratic colleagues and poor polling results, President Joe Biden is currently weighing further steps to reassure the public of his fitness for the job in the upcoming US - Election 2024.
- According to a CNN survey, Vice President Kamala Harris, who would replace Biden if he steps down, receives the support of 45% of registered voters against Donald Trump's 47%.
- In a head-to-head matchup, Trump leads Harris by six percentage points (49 to 43%), a gap identical to the results of a national CNN poll from April.
- California's Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan's Governor Gretchen Whitmer trail Trump by five percentage points, while Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is only four percentage points behind in potential matchups against Trump.
- In a Reuters news agency survey, Harris trails Trump by only one percentage point, 42% to 43%, and the other discussed Democratic alternatives to the president also perform poorly.
