Harris vs Trump: First poll after Biden’s exit shows majority agree with his decision to step down

Joe Biden announced his decision to quit the 2024 presidential race on Sunday after his own party lost faith in his candidacy. Though his disastrous CNN debate majorly contributed to the cause, his recent Covid diagnosis fueled the fire as he previously said he would only step down for medical reasons. With Kamala Harris as the new Democratic nominee, the first poll following Biden’s exit highlights the varied emotions among voters.

First poll after Biden’s exit from the race

A YouGov survey of 2,048 adults found that 71% of Americans said they either strongly approved or somewhat approved of Biden’s decision to step down. 16% of those who were surveyed either disapproved or somewhat disapproved, while 12% said they weren’t sure.

The party-wise break-up of those who agreed with Biden’s decision to exit amounted to 70% Democrats, 68% Independents, and 77% Republicans. Meanwhile, 37% of those who were surveyed approved of Harris as Biden’s replacement, 35% said they wanted someone else, and 27% said they weren’t sure.

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The vice president was supported by 60% of the Democrats and a mere 24% of the Republicans. As for independents, she garnered support from 30% of the respondents. The survey went on to highlight the ripples caused by Biden’s exit from the race, as 36% of Americans believed that Donald Trump now has increased chances of winning.

Republicans rallied behind the former president as 53% of the respondents think he is more likely to win. However, Democrats favoured Harris over the GOP nominee, as 37% of the respondents said he was not likely to win.

Overall, the poll appears to be in Trump’s favour, with 49% of the respondents saying he would defeat Harris. Meanwhile, only 34% of the registered voters believed the Democratic nominee would win.