New Poll Shows Wide Gap Between Trump, Biden On Crucial Issues

Former President Donald Trump reportedly has a significant advantage over President Joe Biden in terms of which candidate would better handle the economy and immigration, according to a new national NBC News poll released on Sunday (February 4).

Trump reportedly has a lead greater than 20 points in relation to handling the economy and a more than 30-point advantage on handling immigration. The former president also has a 16-point lead over Biden in relation to being competent and effective, a change from the 2020 election when Biden had a 9-point edge in a poll conducted prior to winning the election.

Biden's approval rating has also declined to 37% -- the lowest level of his presidency -- and less than 3 in 10 respondents said they approved of his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.

An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs poll released in December showed that most U.S. adults are reportedly dissatisfied with both candidates. An estimated 56% said they would be "very" or "somewhat" dissatisfied if Biden were the Democratic nominee, while 58% said they'd be dissatisfied if Trump, who currently faces 91 charges in four indictments, were the Republican nominee.

Additionally, an estimated 28% said they would be dissatisfied if both Biden and Trump were their party's respective nominees, which included 43% of independent respondents.

“Probably the best way to put it is, I find it sad for our country that that’s our best choices,” said Randy Johnson, 64, a registered Republican from Monett, Missouri, who added that he wished there was a legitimate third party option, but claimed the political system, instead, will likely narrow his choices "down to the lesser of two evils."

A poll conducted by the New York Times and Siena College released in November showed that Trump had a considerable lead over Biden in five of the six key battleground states. Trump reportedly led Biden by a 52% to 41% margin in Nevada, a 49% to 44% margin in Georgia, a 49% to 44% margin in Arizona, a 48% to 43% margin in Michigan and a 48% to 44% margin in Pennsylvania.

Biden reportedly had a 47% to 45% edge over Trump in Wisconsin.

The former president is currently the likeliest candidate for the Republican presidential nomination with 33 of the 1,215 delegates needed to win the nomination. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, the lone remaining challenger for the Republican presidential nomination, has 17 delegates.

President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris officially announced their re-election campaign in April.