US voters fear president Joe Biden will die during his second term in office if he wins the American general election.
Scarlett Maguire, director of polling firm JL Partners, told The Sun’s Never Mind The Ballots show that many Americans worry about Biden’s age – and his ability to face off against Vladimir Putin.
Scarlett spoke to The Sun’s new politics show, which you can watch on The Sun’s YouTube channel and thesun.co.uk, about the long-awaited election in November and Biden’s health.
She explained many Americans are seriously worried about the 81-year-old Biden’s cognitive ability and his apparent decline.
And the polls show many think this is why Trump must win – otherwise, they could have a president who isn’t mentally fit enough to go toe-to-toe with other leaders on the world stage.
Many are worried that he would not make it through a meeting with Putin – who is ten years younger at 71.
Biden has tripped up with numerous gaffes during his presidency – including stumbles on stairs and appearing to be forgetful, with a special counsel report saying his memory is “hazy” and “faulty”.
The oldest president ever has defended himself – saying his memory is “fine”, while his doctor insists he is “fity for duty”.
Scarlett explained: “We asked the American people whether they even thought Biden would still be alive in four years time, by the end of his second term.
“Four in ten didn’t think he’d be able to make it to the end.”
The polling pro explained that Biden’s voter base has suffered as many Americans have concerns about his mental competency.
She told The Sun his base “might come home”, but “there are other issues at play there especially things that are happening in the Middle East”.
And Scarlett said Biden has also had some “drop-off there with ethnic minorities and younger voters”.
Voters, particularly independents, worry about his mental capacity to tackle some of the bigger world issues at play right now – like Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.
Scarlett said: “Yes, if you have any of his base plus independents worrying about his mental capabilities, you know, we also ask ‘Do you think he’d be able to get through a meeting with Putin?'”.
And while US voters have “doubts” about Trump’s age and other aspects of his character, Scarlett says they have more faith in his ability to get things done.
We asked the American people whether they even thought Biden would still be alive in four years time… Four in ten didn’t think he’d be able to make it to the endScarlett Maguire
She told The Sun: “They have doubts about his age, they have plenty of doubts about other aspects of Trump’s character, but fundamentally they think he is more sort of cognisant and is better able to get things done than Biden.”
What will matter most when it comes to the crunch vote, Scarlett says, is “the perception of the two leaders – especially Biden and some of his weaknesses.”
Interestingly, she also revealed that the current criminal trial Trump is facing in New York is unlikely to affect him much in the election.
Scarlett said: “If you’d asked us that a year ago we’d be much more inclined to say that all of this was going to hurt him.
“Now actually it looks increasingly like this is not going to impact voters, they’ve kind of got it priced in already.
What are the seven swing states in 2024?
SEVEN key swing states will decide the US election – with Trump currently holding marginal leads in six of them.
“They know who Donald Trump is, they’ve known him since 2016, it’s rallied his base and independents aren’t particularly surprised.”
“The things that are going to matter more are the economy, immigration and then perception of the two leaders – especially Biden and some of his weaknesses.”
Despite outlining American fears about another Biden term, Scarlett told The Sun the US election is “definitely as close as it looks”.
She said: “Anyone who tells you they know what’s going to happen is lying. It’s incredibly close and the margins are very small.”
Despite there being a “national head-to-head”, she explains that the swing states are “what really counts”.
Scarlett told The Sun: “Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina.
“That is where the race is going to be concentrated”
“Even with those race[s] Trump has an advantage in the southern ones mostly, Arizona is a slightly different proposition now especially given what’s happened with the abortion rule we’ve just had.
“Biden tends to do better in Pennsylvania, in Wisconsin, but it’s very close and they’ll both be pouring all their resources into these states.”
When Trump ran in 2016, Scarlet explains that he was “hugely helped in the race against Hilary Clinton by third-party candidates who split the field”.
