Nearly half of Americans think a president should be in his or her fifties, a recent Pew Research Center poll reveals, although 24 percent preferred a president in their sixties and 17 percent believed someone in their forties would be desirable.
The study further showed that only three percent of the respondents thought a president can be in his or her seventies or older, and another three percent believed someone in his or her thirties is best suited to the role.
Though the study did not refer directly to President Joe Biden, who, at 80, is the oldest president in US history, the respondents' opinions in the survey revealed their eagerness for a younger presidential candidate. Moreover, there are rational causes for concerns about President Biden's age and acuity, considering several instances of public gaffes and verbal missteps.
Younger adults under 30 were more inclined to prefer presidents in their thirties or forties - 48 percent held that view. Older adults, particularly those in their fifties, were more likely to prefer a president in their sixties. By comparison, only 11 percent of adults in their thirties or younger agreed.
When examining the respondents' political affiliation, the survey found that Democrats and Republicans had almost the same views regarding the ideal age range for a president. According to the poll, 51 percent of Republicans/Lean Republicans favor a president in his or her fifties whereas 49 percent of Democrats/ Lean Democrats align with a president who is in his or her fifties.
Minor differences showed that Democrats/ Lean Democratics/ Independents were slightly more inclined to prefer presidents in their thirties and forties. Conversely, Republicans were more likely to favor presidents in their sixties or older. These distinctions can largely be attributed to the parties' age composition. In the past 20 years, the percentage of voters aged 50 and older has increased for both Republican and Democratic parties. However, a larger majority of Republican voters (56 percent) belong to this age group compared with Democrats (50 percent). In 1996, the age composition of the two parties was more similar, with roughly 41 percent of Democrats and 39 percent of Republicans being at least 50 years old.