Joe Biden laughed off speculation his Democratic rivals were catching up to him in the polls and that his lackluster fundraising efforts posed a problem to his presidential ambitions.
Biden, 76, dominated early polls of the 2020 primary field, buoyed by his name recognition. But the former vice president has slipped in overall support as the race nears the opening Iowa caucuses next February. At the same time, opponent Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, 70, has risen in public opinion.
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“I know I’m the front-runner. Find me a national poll with a notable — a couple exceptions — but look, this is a marathon,” Biden told CBS’ 60 Minutes.
The 36-year Delaware senator has a 5.4 percentage point advantage over Warren, according to RealClearPolitics polling data, averaging 27.2% of the vote to Warren’s 21.8%. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders rounds out the top three candidates at 17.3%. But two competing surveys released this week, one by CNN that put Biden ahead by 15 percentage points and another by Quinnipiac University showing Warren was leading the historically crowded pack by seven percentage points, demonstrating volatility in the contest.
Biden also dismissed concerns his low fundraising numbers hindered his chances of clinching the 2020 presidential nomination. Warren raised $24.6 million in the third quarter of 2019, compared to the $15.3 million Biden brought in over the summer. Sanders’s haul was $25.3 million. Biden’s campaign burn rate is additionally one of the highest of any top-tier primary candidate since 2008, spending 12.1% more than it took in July through September and more than 30% higher than Warren and Sanders.
“We’re on a course to do extremely well,” Biden told CBS with a laugh. “I’m not worried about being able to fund this campaign. I really am not, truly.”
Biden’s comments contrast with his team’s announcement this week it would accept help from super PACs, representing a reversal in the former vice president’s long-standing opposition to the groups.
