Former First Lady Michelle Obama has emerged as the leading Democratic candidate to challenge former President Trump in the 2024 presidential election, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted after last week’s presidential debate.
The poll asked respondents who they would prefer to see on the general election ballot against Trump amid increasing calls to replace the current Democratic nominee. The results showed that Michelle Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris garnered more support than President Biden.
In a hypothetical matchup, Michelle Obama led Trump by 11 percentage points, securing 50% of the vote compared to Trump’s 39%. This makes her the only Democrat in the poll to surpass Trump in a general election scenario.
The poll results come after reports that former President Obama indicated to his supporters that President Biden’s path to re-election has become more challenging. Despite Vice President Kamala Harris rising as a potential Democratic nominee, she did not secure enough support to beat Trump in this survey. Harris received 42% of the vote, while Trump was favoured by 43% of respondents.
Concerns over President Biden’s age and mental acuity affect his standing among potential voters. The poll showed Biden and Trump tied, with 40% of the vote. However, more respondents indicated they would prefer a different candidate or choose not to vote if Biden were the nominee.
The survey also included other potential Democratic candidates, such as California Governor Gavin Newsom, who received 39% support against Trump’s 42%.
The poll, conducted shortly after the first presidential debate, revealed that 56% of registered voters believe Biden should withdraw from the race.
