7 in 10 independents concerned about Biden’s mental fitness: survey

Nearly seven in 10 registered independent respondents cited President Biden’s mental fitness as a major concern they have about his ability to be president as the 2024 election cycle inches near, a poll released Wednesday showed.

The NPR/ PBS News Hour/Marist poll found that 69 percent of registered independent respondents said Biden’s mental fitness is a real concern about his ability to be president, and 27 percent of independent respondents believe Biden’s mental fitness is a campaign strategy used by his opponents. 

Along party lines, 84 percent of registered Republican respondents said that Biden’s mental fitness is a major concern about his ability to be president, and 36 percent of registered Democrat respondents shared the same sentiment.

Overall, 62 percent of respondents believe Biden’s mental fitness is a real concern about his ability to be president, and 36 percent of those surveyed said differently. 

Biden announced last month that he is running for reelection in 2024. As the country’s oldest president ever, he has faced questions about his age.

Biden and former President Trump could face off again for the White House in 2024, since Trump — who announced his third presidential campaign in November amid a slew of legal troubles — is the current favorite for the GOP nomination.

When asked about Trump’s mental fitness, 51 percent of respondents said it would be a real concern for them, while 43 percent of respondents said that questions about Trump’s mental fitness will be used as a campaign strategy by his opponents.

The new NPR/ PBS News Hour/Marist poll was conducted from May 15-18 with a total of 1,286 respondents participating in the survey. The poll’s margin of error was 3.4 percentage points.