This year’s election is shaping up to be a battle of who voters dislike the least. While there has been an anti-Trump sentiment since 2016, there is now a growing sense of Biden fatigue that could harm Democrats’ chances in the upcoming election.
According to Don Levy, director of the Sienna College Research Institute, Biden voters are less energized compared to Trump supporters.
A majority of voters believe Biden is too old to be an effective president. Less than 40% of Biden’s voters feel his policies have personally helped them, while 83% of Trump’s supporters feel he has helped them.
To combat this sentiment, Biden aimed to energize weary voters in his State of the Union address, joking about his age and staying late to shake hands. He also highlighted the dangers he sees in allowing Trump back into the White House and touted a positive vision of the country.
However, analysts suggest that many of Biden’s own supporters do not share this positive view. David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center, believes that Biden’s accomplishments are not being felt by the people, which is driving the anti-Biden sentiment.
This sentiment could pose a challenge for Biden in winning states like Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, where he needs strong support from young voters and minority communities.
In head-to-head match-ups, Trump currently outpaces Biden on key issues such as the economy, inflation, and immigration. This marks a significant reversal from 2020 when an anti-Trump vote helped propel Biden to the White House.
While Biden believes there is still a strong anti-Trump sentiment among voters, recent polls show that Trump has significant support among Republicans and even some crossover support from Biden’s 2020 backers. This suggests that the anti-Biden sentiment could be a significant factor in the upcoming election.
