Democrats are reportedly "not enthusiastic" about the possibility of President Joe Biden's reelection due to his own vulnerabilities, including his age, Democratic political strategist Neil Oxman told Politico.
“Democrats are enthusiastic about trying to win the Senate and trying to win the House,” Oxman said, specifying that the party was "not enthusiastic about Biden's reelection. Period."
Biden, 81, is currently trailing or holding a slim lead over presumptive GOP candidate former President Donald Trump, whom he defeated in the 2020 presidential election, in several polls. The president's inconsistent messaging and dwindling support from younger voters are also among the factors that have led to other Democrats' reported pessimism.
“There’s a disconnect between the successes we’re having locally and in specials, and the environments we’re experiencing at and near the top of the ticket,” said Steve Israel, a former Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair, via Politico. “It is the fundamental challenge confronting Democrats right now: Why are we doing as well as we’re doing on the ground, in local and state elections, but we still have this very tight polling at the presidential?”
Trump is currently leading Biden in Arizona (47% to 43%), Georgia (45% to 41%), Wisconsin (47% to 44%), Nevada (46% to 43%), Pennsylvania (47% to 45%) and Michigan (46% to 45%), while Biden holds a slight edge in Minnesota (45% to 45%), according to the latest Emerson College poll released for June on Thursday (June 20).
“In our first polling in several key swing states since Trump’s conviction last month, there has been little movement, with support for both Trump and Biden staying largely consistent since November,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. “Notably, results fall within the poll’s margin of error.”
“Independent voters break for Trump in all seven states – however, there has been some movement among these voters since April,” Kimball added. “In Arizona, Trump’s support among independents dropped five points, from 48% to 43%. In Michigan, Trump’s support dropped three, from 44% to 41%, and in Pennsylvania, Trump dropped eight points, from 49% to 41%. Biden lost support among independents in Georgia, by six points, 42% to 36% and Nevada, by five, 37% to 32%.”
Trump was previously reported to have a 50% to 49% advantage nationally, while Biden has a 50% to 49% edge in battleground states, according to a CBS News poll released on June 9.