If Joe Biden were to give way to another Democrat in the race for the White House, only Michelle Obama would be able to collect more votes than Donald Trump, according to a survey by the Ipsos institute published on Tuesday, July 2.
Joe Biden’s health is a cause for concern, even more so since his failed debate with Donald Trump on June 27. To the point that some Democrats are wondering whether he should continue to run in the November presidential election. A poll published by Ipsos on Tuesday, July 2, should shed some light on this.
According to this survey of 1,000 people, only one person would be able to do better than Joe Biden against Donald Trump if the election were held today: Michelle Obama.
50% for Obama, 39% for Trump
The former first lady of the United States would obtain 50% of the votes against the Republican, in second place at 39%. 3% would choose another candidate and 4% would abstain, according to this survey. Michelle Obama is doing much better than Joe Biden, given 40% equal with Donald Trump.
But with four months to go until the election, this poll also shows the impasse in which the Democratic Party finds itself. No other person tested does better than the American president, with California Governor Gavin Newsom obtaining 39% (Donald Trump 42%), Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer 39% (Donald Trump 41%), Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear 36% (Donald Trump 40%) and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker 34% (Donald Trump 40%).
Be careful, however: these scores should be taken with caution, as no other Democrat has filed for candidacy. In addition, the format of the election (indirect ballot with the electors) means that being given first place at the national level does not guarantee election.
In 2016, Donald Trump received fewer votes than Hillary Clinton (46% against 48%) but was elected with a greater number of electors (304 against 227).
Will Joe Biden Drop Out of the Race?
In theory, it is possible – according to the party’s statutes – to choose another candidate before and even after the Democratic Convention that is supposed to ratify the choice of the contender for the White House on August 19, although it is unlikely that a change of candidate will occur once the Convention is over.
In practice, “there is a good chance that nothing will happen”, explained to BFMTV.com at the end of June Olivier Richomme, professor of American civilization at Lumière Lyon-2 University. Joe Biden has indeed won nearly 90% of the approximately 4,000 delegates at stake in the Democratic primaries. Elected on the president’s behalf, they should, barring a huge surprise, vote for him at the convention.
For months, the White House has been brushing aside, sometimes with a certain irritation, any questions about the physical and mental faculties of the American president, whose physical and verbal ease has declined.
While the party’s heavyweights have publicly stated their support for him so far, since last Thursday’s debate, nervousness has been growing among supporters and donors, some of whom accuse the president’s inner circle of a lack of transparency about his abilities.
Others are asking Joe Biden to respond concretely to concerns, by increasing the number of press conferences or direct exchanges with journalists or supporters.
On Monday, a reporter asked the American president whether he would withdraw from the race, at the end of a short speech he had just given at the White House about a Supreme Court decision. Joe Biden turned on his heel and left the room without answering.
