President Biden’s approval numbers have improved since November, but he trails former President Donald Trump by 3 points in a new nationwide poll that takes stock of a hypothetical 2024 matchup.
The Emerson College poll said 44% of voters approve of Mr. Biden’s performance, up from 39%, though it remains below a 49% approval rating shortly after his inauguration.
Mr. Biden is deciding whether to formally run for reelection and has said he would relish a rematch with Mr. Trump after beating him in 2020.
The Emerson poll found Mr. Trump leading Mr. Biden 44% to 41% in a possible matchup, while 10% would support someone else and 4% said they are undecided.
Most Democratic voters (58%) think Mr. Biden should be the nominee in 2024 while 42% think it should be someone else.
Pollsters said Mr. Biden leads by less than a percentage point, 40% to 39%, in a hypothetical matchup against Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida.
It’s a rosier finding for Mr. Trump than in other recent polls, including one from WPA Intelligence that found Mr. DeSantis outperformed Mr. Trump in hypothetical matchups against Mr. Biden.
The Emerson poll says Mr. Trump, the only declared candidate in the 2024 GOP primary, retains his grip on the Republican electorate despite signs some in the party are ready to ditch him because of his legal woes and what some called a shaky endorsement record in the midterms.
Mr. Trump holds a 26-point advantage over Mr. DeSantis in a hypothetical primary matchup, 55% to 29%. The Florida governor hasn’t said whether he plans to run but is considered the main alternative to Mr. Trump.
Other candidates receiving support in the Emerson poll include former Vice President Mike Pence at 6% and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at 3%.
Since the November national poll, Mr. Trump’s support remained at 55% while Mr. DeSantis’ support increased by 4 points, from 25% to 29%.
The poll of more than 1,000 registered voters was conducted Jan. 19-21 and had a margin of error of 3 points.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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