A recent poll from the Monmouth University Polling Institute reveals a significant enthusiasm gap in the potential 2024 presidential rematch between Biden and Trump, with Republicans far more excited about the prospect than Democrats or independents.
A new poll from the Monmouth University Polling Institute sheds light on the contrasting levels of enthusiasm among different voter groups for a possible rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
According to the survey, 63% of Republicans expressed high enthusiasm for the potential head-to-head contest, while only 36% of Democrats and 27% of independents shared that sentiment. This marked a notable increase in overall enthusiasm compared to last year, which stood at 39%.
Director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, Patrick Murray, highlighted that while enthusiasm had risen since the candidates became presumptive nominees, the majority of voters remained unenthusiastic about the prospect of a Biden-Trump rematch in November.
The poll also pointed to a distinct partisan divide in enthusiasm. Republicans were significantly more likely to be enthusiastic about the potential rematch, with 63% expressing high enthusiasm compared to 36% of Democrats and 27% of independents.
In terms of support for the candidates themselves, 44% of respondents said they would definitely or probably support Trump, while 43% indicated the same for Biden. However, a substantial number of voters also expressed strong opposition to both candidates, with 49% saying they would definitely not vote for Biden and 48% stating the same for Trump.
Eighteen percent of those questioned indicated they would likely vote for Democrat-turned-independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the environmental activist and vaccine skeptic. However, Murray emphasized that Kennedy's support was not particularly strong, particularly among those who disliked both Biden and Trump, casting doubt on his potential impact as a spoiler.
The poll also identified the most important issues for voters in the upcoming presidential election. Inflation (38%) and economic growth and jobs (37%) topped the list, followed by immigration (33%) and abortion (33%).
For Republicans, immigration (56%) and inflation (53%) were the most important issues driving their vote, while abortion was the most prominent issue for Democrats, with 44% citing it as their primary concern.
Murray emphasized that while partisan voters tended to prioritize different issues, it was important to focus on the relatively small group of undecided voters who could potentially be swayed by specific issues, particularly inflation, which appeared to be a motivating factor for many.
The Monmouth University Poll was conducted April 18-22, with 808 adults nationwide questioned by telephone, and had an overall sampling error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.
