A new poll from the New York Times and Siena College indicated that US voters are anticipating former President Donald Trump to perform “very well” during Thursday’s debate.
According to the survey, six in 10 registered voters believe Trump will do “very well” or “somewhat well,” compared to 46% who hold the same expectation for President Joe Biden.
The debate is expected to attract a large audience, with 74% of respondents indicating they plan to watch, while 22% do not intend to tune in.
The economy is set to be a central issue in the debate. The poll shows that 22% of voters consider the economy the top issue influencing their vote, with immigration following at 16%.
Also, 51% of respondents believe Trump would handle their most important issue better than Biden, who garnered 37%.
Voter expectations also lean toward a second term for Trump, with 48% predicting his victory compared to 38% for Biden.
One challenge Biden faces is addressing voters’ concerns about his age. The poll reveals that 69% of voters think Biden is too old to serve effectively as president, while 39% believe Trump is too old.
Regarding presidential temperament, neither candidate scores highly. Fifty-one percent of voters doubt Biden’s temperament, while 53% have similar reservations about Trump.
The poll also highlights legal concerns surrounding Trump, with 55% of respondents believing he has committed serious crimes and 46% agreeing with the guilty verdict in his Manhattan criminal trial.
Overall, Trump holds a 4-point lead over Biden heading into the debate, with 48% of voter support compared to Biden’s 44%. Among registered voters, Trump’s lead increases to 6 percentage points.
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