Former President Donald Trump is the “expected winner” of Thursday evening’s debate between the former president and President Joe Biden, but most say the results will not change their voting intent, the latest weekly survey from the Economist/YouGov found.
Most respondents, 56 percent, said that they intend to watch the CNN debate, and more believe Trump will win over Biden by a ten-point margin.
Forty percent said they believe Trump will win the debate or perform better compared to 30 percent who said the same of Biden. One in three, however, remain unsure.
Republicans remain more confident in Trump than Democrats are in Biden, as 81 percent of Republicans said they expect Trump to emerge as the victor, while 67 percent of Democrats said the same of Biden. Just short of half of independents, 49 percent, said they do not know, but more believe Trump will win rather than Biden by a 17-point margin.
Regardless, most respondents admitted that it is not likely that the debates between Trump and Biden will change their mind about who they are voting for in November.
Sixty-four percent said it is “not at all likely” that the debates will change their mind, while 14 percent said it is “not very likely.”
Republicans appear to be the most unmoved by the debate results, as 88 percent said it is “not at all likely” or “not very likely” that the debate will change their vote. Seventy-seven percent of Democrats and 75 percent of independent said the same.
The survey was taken June 23-25, 2024, among 1,599 adult American citizens. It coincides with Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polling showing that most Americans plan to watch the debate.
Trump proposed this week that both he and Biden undergo a drug test prior to the debate, but the Biden campaign wholly dismissed that idea despite polling showing that 70 percent of Americans would like to see both Biden and Trump do so.
This coincides with the fact that the White House refuses to confirm or deny if Biden will take performance-enhancing drugs ahead of the debate. Trump has predicted on the campaign trail that Biden will be “jacked up” for Thursday’s big event after being given “a shot in the ass.”
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