Former U.S. President Donald Trump is leading President Joe Biden by 4% in a poll conducted by The New York Times and Siena College among potential voters, released on Saturday. Among participants who indicated they are likely to vote, 48% said they would vote for the former president if the election were held today, while 44% said they would vote for Biden. Among registered voters, Trump received support from 48% of respondents, compared to Biden's 43%, according to a report published by Politico.
When given the option between Nikki Haley, the last remaining major challenger to Trump in the Republican Party, and Biden, 46% of participants preferred Haley, while 37% favored Biden. The poll reflects a decline in Biden's popularity just nine months before the 2024 presidential election, as the president faces increasing questions regarding his advanced age, challenges related to immigration, and growing frustration over his handling of the Gaza conflict.
In a blow to the president, 47% of potential voters expressed strong disapproval of his leadership, which represents the highest disapproval rating for Biden as measured in the New York Times/Siena College poll during his presidency. Biden is not the only one experiencing dwindling popularity, as Trump emerged from the poll with a net favorability of 44%, compared to Biden’s 41%.
Democratic voters have also expressed doubts about whether Biden should be the Democratic nominee, with nearly equal divisions among participants believing he should (48%) versus those who believe he should not (43%). The poll was conducted from February 25 to 28 among 980 registered voters nationwide via mobile and landline phones. The margin of error is 3.8% for potential voters.
