A new poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that a majority of U.S. adults are planning to watch some element of the upcoming presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Both candidates remain broadly unpopular as they prepare to face off for the first time since 2020. The poll suggests that tens of millions of Americans are likely to see or hear about at least part of the debate, despite its early timing in the campaign season. Supporters of both candidates view the debate as a major test for their candidate or as a spectacle not to be missed.
The upcoming debate is seen as crucial for both President Biden’s and former President Trump’s campaigns. About half of Americans believe the debate is highly important for Biden’s success, while a slightly lower percentage see it as crucial for Trump’s campaign. Democrats and Republicans tend to view the debate as more important for their respective candidates, compared to independents. The event is expected to take place at a CNN studio in Atlanta, and many Americans are eager to see how the candidates perform, particularly in light of concerns about their mental capabilities.
Both candidates are entering the debate with low favorability ratings, with a majority of U.S. adults expressing dissatisfaction with Biden and Trump as their party’s likely nominees. Democrats are less satisfied with Biden as the nominee compared to Republicans’ support for Trump. Independents are more likely to be dissatisfied with both candidates. Most Americans have a negative view of the opposing party’s candidate, with Republicans overwhelmingly disapproving of Biden and Democrats disapproving of Trump. Biden’s handling of specific policy areas, such as immigration and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has also received mixed reviews from the public.
The poll reveals that around 4 in 10 U.S. adults approve of how President Biden is handling his job, with similar approval ratings for his management of the economy and abortion policy. However, his approach to immigration has received lower approval ratings. Some respondents believe that progress has been made under Biden’s administration, but express frustration with Congress for stalling on policy initiatives. Democrats are especially critical of Biden’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with a significant portion disapproving of his approach. Overall, the upcoming debate is expected to play a significant role in shaping public opinion on the candidates and their respective campaigns.
The poll was conducted from June 20-24, 2024, with a sample drawn from NORC’s AmeriSpeak Panel to ensure representation of the U.S. population. The margin of error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points. Despite concerns about the candidates and their performance, many Americans are eagerly anticipating the upcoming debate and plan to tune in to watch or listen to updates on the candidates’ performance. The event is expected to be a pivotal moment in the 2024 election cycle, with both supporters and critics closely watching to see how Biden and Trump fare on the debate stage.
