More than a quarter of Democrats are ready to replace presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on the ticket following his response to former Senate staffer Tara Reade’s allegations of sexual assault.
A poll published Monday by Morning Consult indicates that 26% of Democrats, including 40% of voters under 45, want the party to pick a different nominee. Just 15% of Democrats older than 45 want to replace Biden at the top of the ticket, however, signaling a generational divide within the party. (RELATED: Joe Biden Has A Long History Of Opposing Due Process In Sexual Assault Cases)
The poll also found a significant decline in the number of voters who think politicians facing allegations of sexual assault should resign. The results indicate that 42% of Democrats currently believe public officials facing sexual assault allegations should resign, a decline of 20% from 2017. For Republicans, 35% said politicians facing allegations of sexual assault should resign, a number 13% lower than in 2017.
Reade has accused the former vice president of sexually assaulting her in 1993 when she served in his Senate office. Biden broke his silence on the allegations last week during an appearance on MSNBC, where he denied Reade’s allegations. (RELATED: Joe Biden Left Speechless As He Tries To Explain Why He Can’t Search Tara Reade’s Name In Delaware Records)
“I’m saying unequivocally it never, never happened and it didn’t,” Biden said.
The former vice president previously said that if a woman makes an allegation of sexual assault, it should be presumed to be true. Biden and other Democratic leaders have been criticized for the their apparently inconsistent approach to sexual assault allegations.