Biden support slides in latest polls

United States President Joe Biden in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on Friday, March 1, 2024. Biden has slipped in recent polling. Chris Kleponis/UPI

March 3 (UPI) — Results of a new poll show President Joe Biden’s approval rating has slipped and he trails Donald Trump in several key areas just as the campaign for the 2024 election heats up.

The poll, by The New York Times and Siena College, shows that only a quarter of the nation’s voters think the country is moving in the right direction. More than twice as many say Biden’s policies have personally hurt them as opposed to helping them, and a majority think the economy is in poor condition.

Biden’s disapproval rating has jumped to 47-percent the highest of his presidency, according to the Times/Siena poll. He is scoring weakly in terms of consolidating his Democratic base, including among women, Black and Latino voters.

83-percent of respondents who voted for Biden in 2020 say they intended to do so again, in contrast to 97-percent of Trump supporters who say they intend to support him again this year. And 10-percent of Biden’s supporters now say they intend to support Trump.

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump speaks to supporters prior to his victory in the South Carolina primary last month. Trump has gained slightly on President Joe Biden in recent polls. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI Bonnie Cash/UPI

On key issues, 78-percent of respondents describe the issues at the southern border as an emergency or a major problem, including 66-percent of Democrats. And while 82-percent blame the situation on Congressional inaction, 51-percent in Biden’s own party blame him for not enforcing laws already on the books

Overall, 81-percent blame Congress for what is happening at the border and 72-percent blame Biden.

A just-released Quinnipiac poll shows Biden still maintains a slight edge with voters over Trump with 49-percent of registered voters supporting Biden and 45-percent supporting Trump, down slightly from Quinnipiac University’s January 31 poll when Biden had 50-percent support and Trump had 44-percent support.

The Quinnipiac poll asked whether candidates are ethical, care about average Americans and if they have the right temperament and personality to serve as an effective president.

49-percent say yes to the ethics question for Biden, 47-percent say no. 29-percent say yes for Trump and 68-percent say no.

51-percent said Biden cares about average Americans as opposed to 47-percent who say no, 42-percent say yes for Trump, 57-percent say no.

49-percent say Biden has the kind of personality and temperament it takes to serve effectively as president. 50-percent say no. 37-percent say yes for Trump while 61- percent say no.

“A Biden-Trump split decision on physical and emotional fitness leaves both looking vulnerable,” the authors of the poll say. “Yes, Trump wins walking away on the age and stamina question, but voters have more confidence in Biden’s empathy toward them and his emotional stability to handle the job.”

Respondents of the Quinnpiac poll scored Biden more harshly than did the Times/Siena poll.

57-percent of respondents disapprove of the job he is doing and 40-percent approve. Here is how respondents stacked up on key issues:

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: 47-percent approve, while 48-percent disapprove; the economy: 42-percent approve, while 55-percent disapprove; foreign policy: 36-percent approve, while 60-percent disapprove;gun violence: 32-percent approve, while 59-percent disapprove;the response to the war between Israel and Hamas: 31- percent approve, while 62-percent disapprove; the situation at the Mexican border: 29-percent approve, while 63-percent disapprove.

Given a list of 10 issues and asked which is the most urgent one facing the country today, 21-percent of voters say preserving democracy in the United States, 20-percent say the economy, 17-percent say immigration, and 10-percent say gun violence. No other issue reached double digits.

Among Republicans, the top issue is immigration (35-percent) followed by the economy (24-percent) and preserving democracy in the United States (13-percent).

Among Democrats, the top issue is preserving democracy in the United States (32- percent) followed by gun violence (17-percent) and the economy (10-percent).

Among independents, the top issue is the economy (24-percent) followed by preserving democracy in the United States (18-percent) and immigration (16-percent).

The poll results come as Biden prepares to deliver his State of the Union address Thursday night.