Staff Reports
In the latest poll conducted by Suffolk University and USA Today, former President Donald Trump is shown to be leading President Joe Biden by a margin that has half of the respondents declaring Trump as the clear winner of their recent debate matchup. The survey, conducted from June 28 to June 30 following the Thursday night event, reveals Trump garnering 41% support compared to Biden’s 38%.
These numbers come as a significant boost for Trump, reflecting a four-point increase from the previous month, while Biden has seen a more modest one-point rise. Even with the inclusion of third-party candidates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump maintains a decisive lead over his opponent.
📊 Post-Debate Poll: USA Today/Suffolk
🟥 Trump: 41% [+4]
🟦 Biden: 38% [+1]
🟨 RFK Jr: 8% [=]
🟪 Oliver: 1%
🟨 West: 1%
🟩 Stein: 1%
⬜ Undecided: 8%[+/- change vs May 3]
——
Who do you think won the debate?🟥 Trump: 50%
🟦 Biden: 11%
⬜ Neither: 28%
——
"Very excited"… pic.twitter.com/11dc4cDAfx— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) July 2, 2024
USA Today’s analysis of the poll results highlights a concerning trend for Biden supporters – a notable lack of enthusiasm. Trump’s voters exhibit a much higher level of excitement and motivation compared to those rallying behind Biden. This enthusiasm divide could play a pivotal role in determining voter turnout and eventual election outcomes come fall.
The enthusiasm gap is further underlined by the poll’s findings, with a striking 59% of Trump supporters expressing being “very excited” to vote for him, in contrast to just 29% of Biden backers feeling the same level of enthusiasm. This stark contrast in voter excitement may foreshadow challenges for Biden’s campaign in mobilizing and energizing its base.
After the first commercial break, I asked my focus group of undecided voters how many of them are more convinced to vote for Joe Biden.
Zero raised their hands.
Half of them say they voted for Biden in 2020.
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) June 28, 2024
In addition to the poll results, other post-debate indicators paint a challenging picture for Biden’s camp. Notably, pollster Frank Luntz’s focus group of undecided voters showed little inclination towards Biden following the debate, with zero participants indicating increased support for the President. Conversely, a significant majority of the group found themselves more convinced by Trump, despite any preexisting reservations they may have had about him.
The overall sentiment pointing towards Trump’s strong performance and Biden’s struggles in the aftermath of the debate underscores the mounting obstacles facing the current administration. With the momentum seemingly in Trump’s favor and enthusiasm on his side, the road ahead for Biden appears increasingly daunting.
