Emerson College Poll Shows Tight Race for 2024 Presidential Election, but not for Chris Christie
NEWARK, NJ – It’s a tight race for President of the United States between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. For former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, it’s not so tight.
In the 2024 Republican primary, Trump holds his base of support since last month at 59%. No other candidate reaches double digits at the national level: 8% support Haley, 8% DeSantis, 4% Chris Christie, 3% Mike Pence, and 3% Ramaswamy.
Christie has been one of the most media-profiled candidates behind Trump, but his attacks on the GOP and the former President still aren’t moving any needles in the race.
A recent national survey by Emerson College Polling indicates a closely contested 2024 presidential race, with former President Donald Trump securing 47% support and President Joe Biden trailing slightly with 45%. Eight percent of voters remain undecided.
The poll also included hypothetical matchups between Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, as well as Mitt Romney and Joe Biden. Trump leads Sanders 48% to 40%, while Biden leads Romney 40% to 30%.
Spencer Kimball, Executive Director of Emerson College Polling, stated that younger voters were most likely to be undecided among all age groups. Remarkably, 45% of voters under 30 support Trump, and 43% back Biden. Kimball also noted that the impact of Trump on younger voters is evident in the Romney vs. Biden matchup, where Biden led 50% to 24% among this demographic.
In the Republican primary, Trump maintains a strong base with 59% support, and no other Republican candidate has double-digit national support. Nikki Haley’s support, however, increased from 3% to 8%. On the Democratic side, 70% of primary voters support Biden, 10% back Marianne Williamson, and 20% are undecided.
The survey also examined voter sentiment toward President Biden’s handling of the situation in Israel, as well as issues voters find most important. On Biden’s handling of Israel, 41% rated it as excellent or good, while 36% rated it as poor. Among Democrats, 67% rated it as excellent or good, contrasting with 60% of Republicans who rated it as poor.
The poll found that 43% of voters believe Biden’s policies make the U.S. less safe, while 41% think the opposite. On the most important issues facing the country, the economy remains at the top with 35%, though it decreased by five points from last month. Immigration has risen in importance, moving from 10% to 16%.
Matt Taglia, Senior Director of Emerson College Polling, highlighted that Northeastern voters rank immigration as the most crucial issue, with 79% of them indicating they plan to support Trump.
Financial wellbeing also came into focus, with 46% stating they are financially worse off than a year ago. As educational attainment rises, the share of voters reporting financial downturns decreases.
When asked about responsibility for the current economic condition, 58% attribute it to Biden, while 28% point to Trump. Fourteen percent remain uncertain.
The poll provides a comprehensive snapshot of public opinion as the 2024 presidential election approaches, underscoring the high stakes and close margins expected in the race.