A new Siena College poll released this week shows President Joe Biden trailing Donald Trump in five competitive battleground states in a hypothetical matchup in next year’s presidential election. The sole state showing Biden with a lead – Wisconsin – only has him up a mere two percent.
The results are causing heartburn for a number of prominent Democratic consultants, among them former Obama campaign member Jim Messina and Black Voters Matter Fund co-founder Cliff Albright. Some of these consultants went public with their concerns in a recent article in US media. Among their critiques were their dismay over the president’s “Bidenomics” message not catching fire as was hoped.
“People fundamentally misunderstood what Black voters said in 2020,” said Albright, co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund. “The depth of support was never there. The enthusiasm was never there for Biden. We were very pragmatic. We knew he was the best chance to beat Trump.”
While Trump is embroiled in legal troubles, polls show that Americans appear to be more so disillusioned by Biden's current policies: including his recent responses to Ukraine and Israel, as well as his actions regarding student debt. In addition, Biden is seen as too old by at least three-quarters of Americans, according to an August poll.
"There’s a distance between Biden and younger voters that we’re going to have to overcome. This is a weakness that we’re going to have to address. I think it is doable," said Simon Rosenberg, a Democratic strategist.