Harvard Poll: Most Voters Have Doubts Biden Is Fit to Serve as President

Majorities of registered voters “have doubts” that  President Joe Biden is fit to serve and think he is “showing he is too old” for the presidency, according to a Harvard-Harris poll.

The poll, published Friday, asked registered voters, “Is Joe Biden mentally fit to serve as President of the United States or do you have doubts about his fitness for office?”

Most of the respondents, 57 percent, hold doubts that the 80-year-old Biden is fit for office versus 43 percent who believe “[h]e is mentally fit.” The figures have changed little since last month, when 56 percent were doubtful about Biden’s fitness.

While 83 percent of Republicans and 65 percent of independents and third-party voters worry about Biden’s mental acuity in the current poll, only 24 percent of Democrats have concerns. Conversely, 76 percent of Democrats do believe “[h]e is mentally fit.”

The poll also asked, “Do you think Joe Biden is showing he is too old to be President or do you think he is showing he is fit to be president?”

Of the respondents, 65 percent believe that Biden, who would be 82 at the start of a second term if elected, is “showing he is too old” to be commander-in-chief, while just 35 percent think he is “showing he is fit to be president.”

Strong majorities of 94 percent of Republicans and 74 percent of voters unaffiliated with the two major parties say he is exhibiting signs “he is too old,” but most Democrats disagree. Just one in three Democrats have concerns about his age, while two in three do not.

Moreover, 50 percent of voters do not think Biden will win the Democrat primary.

The poll also gauged a hypothetical general election match-up between Biden and the leading Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump, finding that Trump holds a strong seven-point lead. Of the participants, 47 percent say they would vote for Trump compared to 40 percent who would back Biden. His lead grew a net two points since last month.

The poll sampled 2,004 registered voters from May 17-18, and a margin of error was not included.