Despite the recent polls indicating that President Joe Biden is behind former President Donald Trump in a potential match-up, ex-adviser to President Obama, Jim Messina, remains unflustered.
What Happened: Messina dismissed the new polls from The New York Times and Siena College on Monday, stating it’s premature to worry. He suggests that people will start focusing on the candidates as next year’s election comes closer, reported The Hill.
Messina reportedly said in an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, “First of all, the whole thing about polling this far out is silly.”
“And so right now people are comparing Biden to the almighty, not sure who the Republican nominee is going to be,” Messina stated. He highlighted that the binary choice that will be presented next year will catch the eye of voters, not the present conjectures.
The New York Times/Siena College poll demonstrated Trump ahead of Biden in five significant battleground states. Conversely, a CBS News poll published on the same day showed Trump with 51 percent of the vote, with Biden trailing at 48 percent.
Messina was also questioned about former Obama senior political adviser David Axelrod’s suggestion that Biden should withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. Messina responded by asserting that Biden still has a strong chance to win if he stays in the race.
He argued that a Democratic primary could potentially jeopardize the Democrats’ prospects against Trump if Biden were to step down. “Look, I think the data really matters here… we’ve already had this election, Trump versus Biden, and Biden won that election and knows how to stand up to Trump,” concluded Messina.
Why It Matters: Earlier, Democratic political strategist David Axelrod had expressed doubts about the feasibility of Biden’s re-election campaign and suggested that Biden reassess whether continuing the race serves his best interest or the nation’s.
Recent polls, including those from The New York Times and Siena College, have shown Trump ahead of Biden in five key swing states. These results come amid growing concerns about Biden’s age and policy decisions, especially in the economic sphere.
Photo by Leonard Zhukovsky and Trevor Bexon on Shutterstock
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