WASHINGTON: In the latest 2024 presidential race poll results unveiled by the Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll and shared exclusively with The Hill, President Biden finds himself trailing behind several potential Republican contenders. The survey, conducted from September 12 to 14, gathered responses from 2,103 registered voters, offering intriguing insights into the hypothetical matchups.
When pitted against former President Trump in a hypothetical 2024 showdown, Biden garnered the support of 40 percent of respondents, while Trump held a slight edge with 44 percent of the vote. A noteworthy 15 percent remained unsure or undecided. These numbers echo those from a previous Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll conducted in July, where Trump stood at 45 percent and Biden at 40 percent.
Additionally, the poll examined matchups between Biden and other prominent GOP figures. In a hypothetical race against former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Biden trailed with 37 percent support, while Haley secured 41 percent. A sizeable 21 percent remained undecided or unsure in this matchup.
In a contest against Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Biden again received 37 percent, while Scott received 39 percent. In this case, 25 percent of respondents were uncertain or undecided.
Notably, Biden performed more favorably against other potential GOP candidates. He garnered 42 percent support when matched against former Vice President Mike Pence, who received 36 percent. Against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Biden led with 42 percent to DeSantis's 38 percent. Similarly, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy secured 37 percent against Biden's 39 percent.
Nevertheless, the prevalence of undecided voters in these matchups suggests that the 2024 election could be a closely contested battle. The results underscore President Biden's waning national popularity, as multiple Republican contenders gain momentum.
Mark Penn, the co-director of the Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll, commented on the findings, stating, "No question that President Joe Biden is showing lagging national poll numbers and that now multiple GOP candidates are ahead of him. This is a new development as [non-Trump] potential opponents like Haley get exposure."
In the broader context of the 2024 primary race, Trump remains the frontrunner, while DeSantis, Pence, Haley, and others are struggling to bridge the gap between themselves and the former president.
Meanwhile, President Biden faces challenges stemming from negative poll results and concerns about his age. Despite calls from some quarters for him not to seek re-election in 2024, the president has given no indication that he intends to alter his plans.
It's worth noting that this Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll, an online survey conducted in collaboration with the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University, provides a snapshot of public sentiment but does not report a probability confidence interval due to its online sampling methodology.
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