A recent CNN poll has revealed some surprising results in the upcoming presidential election, with Joe Biden trailing behind Donald Trump by a significant margin. The survey, conducted between 18-23 April 2024, shows Trump leading Biden by nine percentage points, with third-party candidates also gaining traction.
One of the most notable findings of the poll is the support for third-party candidates, with Robert F Kennedy Jr leading at 16 percent, followed by Dr Cornel West at four percent, and Dr Jill Stein at three percent. This marks the second time a third-party candidate has achieved double-digit support in the race.
The dynamic of the race is proving frustrating for Biden, as some polling suggests that the third-party candidates may be drawing more voters away from him than from Trump. This is particularly evident among younger voters, with 18-34 year olds disapproving of Biden’s handling of the Israel/Gaza conflict by a significant margin.
Despite the challenges he faces, Biden can take some comfort in the fact that third-party candidates historically do not perform well in actual elections. The hope is that as the election draws nearer, voters will be motivated to make a consequential choice and support the Democratic candidate.
However, there are still uncertainties looming over the election, including Trump’s ongoing criminal trials and the potential impact of a conviction on his candidacy. With the margin of error in the survey at 3.4 percentage points, the race remains fluid and unpredictable as both candidates vie for the presidency in this unprecedented year.