Staff Reports
A recent poll has shown that Vice President Kamala Harris is the favored choice among swing state voters to lead the Democratic Party if President Joe Biden were to drop out of the 2024 presidential election. The poll indicated that Harris received 45% of voters’ support, the highest among other prominent Democratic figures such as Gov. Gavin Newsom and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Kamala Harris beats out Democratic stars in swing-state support if Biden drops out: Poll #NewsBreak https://t.co/uBDXMScCob
— Ruthie’s Daughter Mind Travels @ESDRuthieDa (@ESDRuthieDa) May 24, 2024
The poll findings come as many voters are expressing growing dissatisfaction with the idea of a second term for President Biden, with concerns about his age and frequent memory lapses being cited as top concerns. An earlier survey by McLaughlin & Associates revealed that 82% of likely voters identified Biden’s “state of health and his mental fitness” as his biggest “weak point.”
In an effort to rally the Democratic base, Harris has been making more public appearances for the Biden campaign, focusing on issues she considers crucial for the election, particularly abortion. She has made history as the first vice president to visit an abortion clinic during a campaign appearance at Planned Parenthood, a prominent organization for reproductive services.
However, the recent Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll has revealed potential gaps in Harris’s strategy. While abortion is an important issue for some voters, the poll found that the economy remains the top concern for the majority of voters, with 83% prioritizing it. Crime, immigration, and the economy all ranked higher in importance compared to reproductive rights in the poll.
Furthermore, when asked to select the most important topic when deciding how to vote, a significant 35% of voters chose the economy, followed by immigration at 14%. Only 9% of voters considered abortion as the most important issue.
The poll also showed that in a hypothetical matchup between Harris and former President Donald Trump, Trump led by 49% to 42%. In a comparison between Trump and Biden, Trump had a 48% to 44% lead. In the key swing state of Wisconsin, where the election is expected to be closely contested, Trump held a narrow advantage over Biden, leading 47% to 46% in a head-to-head matchup.
