Almost exactly half of all Americans believe that Joe Biden should be replaced for the Democrats to have their best chance of winning the 2024 presidential election.
The YouGov poll, conducted on Friday morning, reveals that 49% of Americans believe Biden must go if the Democrats want to win, whereas only 30% believe he should remain the Democrat nominee.
Fifty percent of independents said that Biden should be replaced.
A majority of voters aged 45-64 said that Biden should be replaced: 54%. The percentage dropped to 48% among voters aged 30-44 and 40% for voters aged 18-29.
Opinion was split along racial lines, with a majority of white people surveyed saying the Democrats need a new nominee, but only 30% of black voters agree. Nearly two-thirds of Hispanics, a crucial demographic for Biden, want him gone.
The poll comes after a disastrous performance by Biden in the first presidential debate, which aired on Thursday. Biden appeared confused, lost his train of thought and trailed off into incomprehensibility on multiple occasions. His voice was feeble and at times scarcely audible.
CNN’s snap post-debate poll showed that 67% of viewers believed Trump won.
Panic and anger have gripped the Democrat party and supporters in the aftermath of the debate.
The editorial team at The New York Times has already called for Biden to step down for the good of the Democrats and the country. However, senior Democrat figures, including former president Barack Obama, have rallied round Biden.
Obama claimed that Biden’s performance was just a “bad night.”
“Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself,” the former president wrote on Twitter.
“Between someone who tells the truth; who knows right from wrong and will give it to the American people straight — and someone who lies through his teeth for his own benefit. Last night didn’t change that, and it’s why so much is at stake in November.”