Poll: 79% of Democrats Back Harris as Nominee if Biden Exits 2024 Race
By Jake Beardslee ·
July 18, 2024
A recent Economist/YouGov survey reveals that the majority of Democrats would support Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's nominee if President Joe Biden were to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. The poll, released Thursday, indicates that 79% of Democrats would back Harris in such a scenario. Becca Mahon/Battle Creek Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
This comes amid growing calls from within the Democratic Party for Biden to step aside, particularly following what some perceived as a lackluster debate performance against former President Donald Trump last month. The survey found that 28% of Democrats believe Harris is more likely than Biden to defeat Trump, while 32% think her chances are equal to Biden's. Becca Mahon/Battle Creek Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
The poll also highlights broader concerns about Biden's candidacy. More than half of all Americans surveyed (51%) believe Biden should "definitely" or "probably" allow another Democrat to run. Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK
Among Democrats who share this view, 68% cite concerns about Biden's age, health, or cognitive function as the primary reason for their stance. Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK
Despite these sentiments, few respondents expect Biden to actually withdraw from the race. Only 19% of Americans believe it is very or somewhat likely that he will drop out. Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Economist/YouGov poll was conducted from July 13-16, surveying 1,582 respondents with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. THOMAS BENDER/HERALD-TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK
When asked about the possibility of ending his reelection bid, Biden stated on Wednesday that he would consider it, “If I had some medical condition that emerged. If doctors came to me and said, ‘You’ve got this problem, that problem.’” Max Correa / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
