OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former President Donald Trump is beginning to gallop away from President Biden in a series of recent polls, which is becoming a “crisis” for the current commander-in-chief, according to a noted political analyst.
In an appearance on Fox News Thursday evening, Hugh Hewitt compared what is currently happening between Trump and Biden in the polls to a famous horse race.
“The former president is establishing a lead, the sort of lead if you are watching the Kentucky Derby or any of the other, Belmont Stakes, you’d be tearing up tickets if you didn’t have money on the horse named Trump,” Hewitt told anchor Bret Baier.
“He is pulling away,” he declared. “I want to go back to the CNN poll. He is 11 points ahead of Joe Biden on voters 18 to 34. That’s a crisis for him.”
Meanwhile, a striking new survey unveiled on Friday has sparked widespread speculation among political observers that Trump is poised to decisively defeat Biden in November, particularly if the figures hold steady.
“Trump’s lead over President Joe Biden has nearly doubled in the new Rasmussen Reports poll and could go even higher after today’s unexpected jump in unemployment. The latest 2024 election numbers shared with Secrets had Trump at 46%, Biden at 36%, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at 9%,” the Washington Examiner reported. The outlet added that Trump led Biden by 6 points in the same survey last month.
In a five-person race that included two other improbable candidates, Trump has widened his lead over Biden to 12 points, with 48% of likely voters endorsing him compared to Biden’s 36%. The latest survey suggests that Trump has garnered support from backers of both Biden and Kennedy.
The survey also reveals that Trump has managed to retain his popularity among black voters, who traditionally vote for Democrats at a rate of 90% or more. As per the survey, Trump’s approval rating among black voters stands at 21%, whereas Biden’s approval rating is as low as 61%.
While the survey analysis doesn’t detail the reasons behind Trump’s surge, the results align with a week where he has captured significant attention by hosting daily press conferences outside the court during a New York City hush money trial. The trial and subsequent events involving Trump garnered substantial media coverage, especially from left-leaning TV networks such as CNN. Additionally, Trump has sharpened his focus on his second-term agenda, outlining his plans to supporters of the MAGA movement should he return to the White House, as reported by the Examiner.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been contending with economic challenges, notably inflation and public dissatisfaction with escalating prices. Furthermore, his Middle East policies have triggered widespread campus protests, exacerbating the strain on his political position.
Rasmussen’s national poll mirrors others indicating Trump’s advantage in pivotal battleground states, essential for determining the election’s outcome. Additionally, it highlights the trend of Biden’s recent rise in popularity diminishing, as noted by the outlet.
“It is notable that Rasmussen’s model uses a sample percentage very close to the outcome of the 2020 race. And that means it includes a slightly higher percentage of Democrats. In this poll, 35% of those surveyed were Democrats, 33% were Republicans, and 32% were independents,” the Examiner reported. “The survey also asked about voter enthusiasm and found that 71% of likely voters are excited about voting in November. Democrats, however, aren’t as enthusiastic as Republicans, 71%-81%.”
According to Gallup, Biden’s approval rating stands at a record low of 38.7 percent at this juncture in a president’s first term, marking the lowest point in the nation’s history since the polling firm commenced its surveys, as reported by the Washington Times.
