In light of a recent poll that indicates a potential defeat for President Biden against former President Trump in the 2024 election, David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Obama, has suggested that it might be prudent for Biden to reconsider his candidacy.
The poll, conducted by The New York Times and Siena College, revealed a lead for Trump over Biden by up to 10 points in five battleground states that Biden had won in the 2020 election.
The poll showed Trump leading Biden by 10 points in Nevada, six points in Georgia, five points in Arizona and Michigan, and four points in Pennsylvania. However, Biden maintained a two-point lead over Trump in Wisconsin, a state he also won in 2020.
Axelrod, in response to the poll's findings, questioned whether it would be in the nation's best interest for Biden to continue as the Democratic Party's nominee, given the risk of a potential defeat by Trump in 2024. "Only @JoeBiden can make this decision. If he continues to run, he will be the nominee of the Democratic Party. What he needs to decide is whether that is wise; whether it's in HIS best interest or the country's?" Axelrod queried in a thread on X.
While acknowledging the lateness of the hour for the Democratic Party to propose another candidate, Axelrod expressed that the poll results were a foreboding sign for the party. "It's very late to change horses; a lot will happen in the next year that no one can predict & Biden's team says his resolve to run is firm. He's defied CW before but this will send tremors of doubt thru the party--not bed-wetting, but legitimate concern," he wrote.
Axelrod identified Biden's age as his "biggest liability" among voters. Despite the president's accomplishments, Axelrod argued that the stakes were too high for the country to risk a potential loss to Trump in the upcoming election. "The @POTUS is justly proud of his accomplishments. Trump is a dangerous, unhinged demagogue whose brazen disdain for the rules, norms, laws and institutions or democracy should be disqualifying. But the stakes of miscalculation here are too dramatic to ignore," he cautioned.
The poll also revealed several other warning signs for the Democratic Party, beyond Biden's age. The Times reported an unprecedented level of support for Trump among Black voters, with a record 22% of this demographic favoring him over Biden across the six states. Additionally, a majority of voters across all income levels reported feeling "personally hurt" by Biden's policies and expressed greater trust in Trump's handling of the economy.
Democratic strategist James Carville has also expressed concern about Biden's prospects in the 2024 election, stating that voters "don't want" Biden as the nominee.
Last week, Axios reported that several prominent Democratic figures were subtly enhancing their national profiles in anticipation of a potential presidential run in 2028, or 2024, should Biden decide not to run. These figures include California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.
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