President Joe Biden’s age remains a concern for Americans, should he serve a second term, a Rasmussen Reports survey released Friday found.
The survey showed likely voters demonstrating waning confidence in Biden’s physical and mental ability to serve as president. While 51 percent said they are at least “somewhat confident” that he is physically and mentally up to the job as commander-in-chief, only 30 percent of those are “very confident.” Further, 47 percent expressed little confidence, and of those, 37 percent said they are “not confident at all.”
Notably, 51 percent of Democrats said they are “very” confident in Biden’s abilities, compared to 12 percent of Republicans and 27 percent of independents who said the same.
The survey also found a plurality, 48 percent, expressing the belief that others are making decisions for Biden behind the scenes, rather than the president actually doing the job of president himself. Just 44 percent believe he is “really doing the job as president.”
Nearly one-quarter of Democrats, 23 percent, believe others are making decisions for Biden behind the scenes — a sentiment shared by 74 percent of Republicans and a plurality — 49 percent — of independents.
Finally, the survey asked respondents how they would feel about Biden’s age at the end of a second term if he runs, becomes the nominee, and wins the general election. In that scenario, Biden would be 86 years old when his second term ended. Fifty-nine percent said that is “too old” to be president. There is bipartisan consensus on that as well, as 52 percent of Democrats, 71 percent of Republicans, and 54 percent of independents agree that 86 is too old to be president.
The survey was taken February 26-28, 2023, among 1,000 likely U.S. voters and has a +/- 3 percent margin of error. It follows several surveys showing Democrats hesitant to choose Biden as their nominee. For instance, a recent YouGov/The Economist found that more than one-third of Biden 2020 voters, 36 percent, do not want him to run in the next presidential race.
Biden is 80 years old, turning 81 in November. Former President Donald Trump, who is vying to challenge Biden again in 2024, is 76 years old, turning 77 this summer.
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