According to a recent CNN poll conducted by SSRS, former President Donald Trump continues to hold a steady lead over President Joe Biden as the campaign and Trump’s criminal trial progress. The poll suggests that the public’s opinion of each man’s first term could play a significant role in the upcoming election, with Trump seemingly benefiting from a more favorable retrospective view.
Trump vs. Biden: The Numbers
The poll shows that Trump’s support among registered voters remains at 49%, the same as in CNN’s last national poll in January. Biden’s support stands at 43%, not significantly different from January’s 45%. Interestingly, 55% of Americans now view Trump’s presidency as a success, while 61% believe Biden’s presidency has so far been a failure.
Party Lines and Independent Opinions
Party lines reveal a stark contrast in opinion. A whopping 92% of Republicans view Trump’s presidency as successful, while only 73% of Democrats believe Biden’s presidency has been successful so far. Among independents, 51% view Trump’s presidency as successful, while only 37% see Biden’s as a success.
Public Opinion of Former Presidents
Public opinion of former presidents generally improves over time, although no other modern president has attempted a return to power after an electoral loss. Negative views of Biden’s work in office have persisted throughout his presidency. In the new poll, 60% disapprove of his handling of the job, and 40% approve, consistent with CNN’s polling over the past year.
Economic Concerns
Biden’s approval ratings for the economy (34%) and inflation (29%) remain starkly negative. A significant 70% of Americans believe the US economy is in poor shape, with many, particularly Republicans, believing that a political shift would have a greater impact on their views than an actual change in the economy.
Other Issues
Protecting democracy is considered an extremely important issue by 58% of voters, the only other issue tested that a majority considers central to their choice. Other deeply important issues include immigration, crime, and gun policy, each deeply important to about 4 in 10 voters.
Candidate Impressions
Impressions of both candidates remain mostly negative, with 58% of voters having an unfavorable view of Biden and 55% of Trump. A narrow majority of voters, 53%, express dissatisfaction with the candidates they have to choose from in this year’s presidential contest.
Methodology
The CNN poll was conducted by SSRS from April 18-23 among a random national sample of 1,212 adults drawn from a probability-based panel, including 967 registered voters. Surveys were either conducted online or by telephone with a live interviewer. Results among the full sample have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. For results among registered voters, it is plus or minus 3.8 points.
Contributors: CNN’s Ariel Edwards-Levy and Ed Wu