Doubts About Biden’s Mental Fitness: A Poll

A month into Joe Biden’s presidential campaign, as many as 62% of US voters believe the issue of his mental acuity is a genuine concern about his ability to become a second-term president, according to Public opinion poll PBSNewsHour/ NPR / Marist. That’s 11 points higher than former President Donald Trump, whose mental fitness commands 51% of voters.

Americans’ opinions on the issue depend largely on their political affiliations, with Republicans more likely to question the 46th president’s mental acumen than Democrats. But 69% of independents also expressed concern about the cognitive abilities of the occupants of the White House.

Having said that, this question may not be a deciding factor for many independent voters, according to analyst Amy Walter. “A lot of these independents, though concerned about Biden’s mental fitness, may end up voting for him anyway because they view Trump’s background as more excluding,” she said.

This group includes the youngest voters.

The poll also indicates that voter satisfaction with Biden rose from last month to 45%.

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