As the nation continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic and begins to reopen slowly, the presidential election looms on the horizon. With current campaigning mostly on hold after a dramatic primary season, both the Republican incumbent and presumptive Democratic nominee have had to rely mostly on their long-distance brand to maintain popularity.
For President Trump, who is controversial on social media and often seen in press conferences, this isn’t too difficult. For former Vice President Joe Biden, it’s been a different story.
Though the Trump administration has been dealing with the coronavirus and bearing much blame for the federal government’s initial fumbling of the pandemic, enthusiasm among Republicans surrounding the president’s 2020 reelection campaign remains very high. On the other hand, Biden is struggling to stoke passion among the Democratic Party faithful.
According to a recent Rasmussen poll released Thursday, the gap in party energy between the two candidates is rather wide. When it comes to Republicans, 70% believe Trump should be the nominee compared to 23% who believe another should take his place. Another 7% are undecided. On the Democratic side, 54% believe Biden should be the nominee relative to 28% who would prefer someone else. A whopping 18% of likely Democratic voters remain unsure.
The concerns surrounding Biden are nothing new. For a long time, there has been the sense that the elderly establishment politician would not stir up enough excitement among the Democratic Party base. That seems to be the current reality.
During the Democratic primary, many Democrats grew concerned about Biden’s lack of appeal to young voters. The youth vote had been essential to Barack Obama’s 2008 win and played a notable role in Hillary Clinton’s 2016 bid, even though it resulted in a loss.
At the end of March, an ABC News-Washington Post poll revealed that “74 percent of those supporting Biden are doing so enthusiastically, compared to 86 percent of Trump supporters.” And an April Emerson College poll showed that Republican voters are far more excited about voting for Trump than Democratic voters are for Biden.
The simple fact is that regardless of messaging, Biden can’t elicit as much passion as his opponent, the unapologetic and charismatic president.
One might think that the hatred the liberal media and the Left more broadly possess for the president would be enough to animate Democratic voters. But this election year may be a repeat of 2016, as it still appears that the love of a politician motivates voter turnout more than dislike of the opponent.
Democrats may have an enthusiasm problem, but frankly, they don’t have much time left to fix it.
Assuming the election is on schedule, they have less than five months to remake Biden into a formidable presence that can take on the biggest political adversary of his long career. On the other hand, Trump’s headline-grabbing 2016 quip that he could stand on 5th Avenue and “shoot someone and not lose voters” still holds true. The exuberance of the “Make America Great Again” base, even after a difficult year marred by drama, scandal, and turmoil, is clearly as strong as ever.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
