‘I Was Concerned Before and I’m Concerned Now’: Democrat Richard Blumenthal’s Fears as Trump Pulls Ahead of Biden in Battleground States

William FurneyNov 7, 2023

Minute Read

Exactly one year before the next US presidential election, Democratic President Joe Biden is behind former president Donald Trump in most battleground states, suggesting growing voter dissatisfaction with the incumbent, new polls show. And Democrats are worried.

Trump Over Biden

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In polling by The New York Times and Siena College, Trump was ahead of Biden in Nevada, Georgia, Arizona, Michigan and Pennsylvania, by four points up to 10 in different states. Biden was the favorite over Trump in just one swing state, Wisconsin, and only by two points.

Important States for a Win

Battleground states are vital in US presidential elections as they can decide the vote over states that traditionally vote for one party and their policies.

More Trust in Trump

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The polls revealed that more people trusted Trump compared to Biden over bread-and-butter issues like the economy, immigration and foreign policy, presenting difficulties for the Biden election campaign just a year out from the ballot.

Democrats ‘Not So Worried’

Reacting to the new polls in key swing states, Biden campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz said there was still a long way to go until the presidential election next November and that everything could change.

“Predictions more than a year out tend to look a little different a year later. Don’t take our word for it: Gallup predicted an 8 point loss for President Obama only for him to win handedly a year later,” he said in a statement.

Blumenthal: ‘Concerned Now’

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But some within the Democratic ranks are troubled. “I was concerned before these polls and I’m concerned now,” Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal said on CNN.

Biden National Polling

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President Biden remains the favorite to be named the Democratic Party candidate for the 2024 election next November. But there’s not much competition: Biden is polling around 70 percent, according to an average of national polls, while his only rival, author Marianne Williamson, is at just under 6 percent of Democratic voter preferences.

Biden Age Fears

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While President Biden may be the only real candidate for the Democratic ticket, with Vice President Kamala Harris again as his running mate, political analysts say many people are wondering if he’s still up to the job. Their concerns are based on Biden’s advanced age — he is 81 this month — and amid a series of stumbles, fumbles and trips while on stage and walking the steps of the presidential plane, Air Force One.

Trump Age Concerns

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Trump might like to project an image of himself as more youthful and rigorous compared to Biden, but the former president is only a few years younger, at 77. And recently he’s had a string of his own gaffes, including not knowing what US city he was in and mixing up the names of foreign leaders — leading to concerns about his abilities too as he approaches his 80s. He has called Palestinian terror group Hamas “Hummus,” which is a garbanzo-based dip.

Trump the GOP Favorite

Trump is also polling nationally far above his rivals, and he has a lot more than Biden. An average of national polls shows the former president at just under 60 percent compared to around 13 percent for his closest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Trump and Biden in 2024?

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If the national polling is to be believed — and many polls have been badly wrong before — Americans could see a re-run of the 2020 presidential election, when Trump, then the president, battled Biden, and lost. That led to rioting at the US Capitol, after Trump refused to accept defeat and called on his supporters to protest at the heart of US democracy. Five people died in the violence and around 1,000 were arrested.

Trump’s Legal Issues

Although the battleground-state polls show Trump ahead of Biden, the ex-president is fighting an avalanche of court cases. He has been indicted four times, and faces a total of 91 criminal charges, including over the 2020 election and allegedly trying to overturn the result. His business empire is at risk, due to a civil fraud case underway in New York, and he’s also battling allegations that he illegally took classified government documents from the White House to his resort home in Florida.

Dem Strategist Call

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Democratic strategist David Axelrod, who helped get Barack Obama elected, has suggested Biden call it quits, for the good of the United States.

‘A Biden Decision’

Writing on X (formerly called Twitter), Axelrod said: “Only @JoeBiden can make this decision. If he continues to run, he will be the nominee of the Democratic Party. What he needs to decide is whether that is wise; whether it’s in HIS best interest or the country’s?”