In a recent NBC News survey conducted in mid-November, former President Donald Trump edged out President Joe Biden among registered voters, hinting at a competitive race should they both choose to run in the 2024 presidential election. According to the poll, Trump garnered 46% support, slightly ahead of Biden’s 44%, though the difference falls within the survey’s margin of error of approximately 5.5 to 5.6 percentage points.
The data, highlighted on “Meet the Press” by MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki, marks a notable shift, as it’s one of the few instances where Trump has been seen leading in these polls. Notably, Trump seems to resonate with younger voters, capturing 46% of the demographic aged 18-34, with Biden securing 42%.
The poll also explored scenarios excluding the current frontrunners. A theoretical Republican nominee other than Trump showed a more pronounced lead over Biden, suggesting a 48% to 37% advantage. Conversely, a hypothetical Democratic candidate not including Biden demonstrated a competitive edge over Trump, with a 46% to 40% lead.
The survey sample included around 1,000 registered voters, with a subset of 300 Republican primary voters who predominantly favored Trump. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley trailed, with 18% and 13% support, respectively. Chris Christie, former Governor of New Jersey, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy were both further behind, each securing 3% among Republican primary voters.
Looking ahead to 2024, Biden faces potential challenges within his own party from figures such as Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota, author Marianne Williamson, and YouTube news anchor Cenk Uygur, indicating an election cycle that may present a range of options for voters.