ATLANTA — Joe Biden said he is the undeniable front-runner for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, despite what many analysts called an underwhelming performance at the fifth primary debate and slippage in polls over the past month.
“I am the clear front-runner. I’m ahead in the national average of all the polls by 70%,” the former vice president said Thursday in Atlanta. “I’m not counting on the polls, but the fact is I’m ahead in almost every one of the toss-up states by a substantial margin.”
Biden, 77, became defensive when the topic of recent surveys was broached again in the context of 63-year-old former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s entry into the race. At the time, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, 77, had yet to file paperwork for his own White House bid. The pair launched last-minute campaigns in response to concerns about Delaware’s longtime senator’s ability to withstand the surging liberal faction of the party.
“I’m not lagging in the polls. Let’s get that straight. If you look at the average of the polls, I’m not lagging in the polls,” he said at a post-debate roundtable with black mayors. “I welcome them into the race. I really mean it. They are both competent people.”
Biden said his efforts during Wednesday’s debate was enough to assuage worries about his prospects in both the primary and a general election against President Trump, supplementing his electability argument by asserting he could help Democrats further down the ballot.
“Now tell me who you think can get more votes for people running for local office in states we have to win from North Carolina to Georgia — I can go down the line — than me. I may be wrong, but speaking of polls, that’s what they all show,” he said.
Biden, who had been a target of his rivals during previous debate series, was largely left alone other than jabs by New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, 50, on his reticence to legalize marijuana and earning derision for overlooking California Sen. Kamala Harris, 55, when he mistakenly claimed the only black female senator supported him.
Although a majority of national polls have Biden in front, two surveys released this month report the contest being in a statistical tie, whereas another has Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, 70, with a 3 percentage point advantage. The landscape is different in Iowa, where Biden trails significantly behind current front-runner South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, 37. Warren is narrowly ahead of him in New Hampshire.
