Two-thirds of Americans think President Joe Biden winning a second presidential term would be a bad for the country according to a poll released Thursday.
Sixty-six percent of voters surveyed said a Biden victory would be a “disaster” or a “setback,” according to a CNN poll. Fifty-six percent said the same for former President Donald Trump.
Overall, 35% of respondents gave Biden a favorable rating, down from January’s 40%.
The president is facing significant competition in the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination, with the poll showing only 60% of Democrats indicating that he would be their first choice in the primary.
Democratic presidential candidate and lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is in second place with 20% support, according to the poll. Author Marianne Williamson comes in third with 8%. The same percentage of respondents would prefer someone who is not Biden, Kennedy or Williamson, the poll indicated. Five percent responded with “no opinion.”
Fifty-five percent of respondents in the Democrat camp said they “might change their mind” on their preferred candidate.
The CNN poll was conducted via phone and web May 17-20 through SSRS. The sample size was 1,227 and the sampling error was +/- 3.7%.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 13: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. speaks onstage at Food & Bounty At Sunset Gower Studios on January 13, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
The Democratic National Convention (DNC) has faced criticism for refusing to hold debates despite Biden challengers’ high polling numbers. Parties usually do not host debates when there is an incumbent, but Kennedy and Williamson have both expressed frustration at the lack of discussion. (RELATED: Biden, DNC Take Criticism From All Sides On Lack Of Primary Debates)
“Disappointed certainly, because I believe in democracy. I believe that the political party should stay out of the issue until the primary voters have weighed in, and then whoever wins the primaries, that’s who the DNC, or the RNC for that matter, should support,” Williamson said.
“Mr. Kennedy believes the American people want and deserve debates. He continues to ask President Biden to join in free and open discussion of those range of important matters which concern all Americans,” Kennedy’s campaign told the Daily Caller.
