Former Obama adviser Messina dismisses latest Trump-Biden polls

Jim Messina, a former adviser to President Obama, dismissed new polls from The New York Times and Siena College showing President Biden trailing former President Trump in a hypothetical match-up, suggesting that it is too early to be concerned.

“First of all, the whole thing about polling this far out is silly,” Messina told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Monday when asked to explain the poll numbers. He emphasized that people will begin to pay closer attention to the candidates when the election comes around next year. 

“And so right now people are comparing Biden to the almighty, not sure who the Republican nominee is going to be,” he added. “And we haven’t gotten to that binary choice that you talked about earlier. Next year where we’re at that binary choice, that’s going to sway voters [to] start to pay attention. Not this far out.”

The New York Times/Siena College poll published Sunday found that Trump leads Biden in a hypothetical match-up in the five critical battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania. Biden is only leading in Wisconsin by 2 points, the poll found.

Separately, a CBS News poll released Sunday found Trump getting 51 percent of the vote compared with Biden’s 48 percent. 

The new polls have led some Democrats to express concerns. Former Obama senior political adviser David Axelrod on Sunday suggested Biden drop out of the 2024 presidential race in the wake of the new polls.

When asked about Axelrod’s comments, Messina reiterated that Biden remains in a strong position to win the election if he stays in the race. He said if Biden were to drop out, a Democratic primary would likely hurt Democrats in their race against Trump. 

“Look, I think the data really matters here. And since World War II, if one incumbent president hasn’t run, the other party has won every election except for 1988,” he said. “And the second thing is we’ve already had this election, Trump versus Biden, and Biden won that election and knows how to how to stand up to Trump.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) also expressed his worries over Biden’s polling numbers on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“I was concerned before these polls, and I’m concerned now,” Blumenthal said Sunday. “These presidential races over the last couple of terms have been very tight. No one is going to have a runaway election here. It’s going to take a lot of hard work, concentration, resources.”

Tags 2024 presidential election david axelrod David Axelrod Donald Trump Donald Trump Jake Tapper Jim Messina Joe Biden Obama President Joe Biden Richard Blumenthal

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed..

 

Main Area Top ↴

ovp - video bin

Hollywood remembers Quincy Jones

Hollywood remembers Quincy Jones
Sandra Lee describes her love for cooking
The stars of 'Emilia Pérez' open up about what the ...
Kelly Rizzo shares details about launching Comfort ...
Debbie Allen talks 'Grey's Anatony' and her new ...
Fiona Rene shares the unique way she gets into ...
More Videos

Testing Homepage Widget

Main Area Middle ↴

Article Bin Elections 2024

Canada will reduce immigration targets as Trudeau acknowledges his policy failed
Israeli strike on Gaza shelter kills 17 as Blinken says cease-fire talks will resume
Middle East latest: Blinken in Doha to discuss Gaza cease-fire with Qatari officials
A car bomb explodes outside a police station in western Mexico, wounding 3 officers
Mozambique’s ruling party candidate declared winner of presidential election as rigging claims swirl
Putin ends BRICS summit that sought to expand Russia’s global clout but was shadowed by Ukraine
Turkey strikes Kurdish militant targets in Syria and Iraq for a second day
Massive displacement from Israel-Hezbollah war transforms Beirut’s famed commercial street
Canada’s Trudeau vows lead his Liberal Party into the next election
Russian lawmakers ratify pact with North Korea as US confirms that Pyongyang sent troops to Russia
Train carrying 55 people derails on Norway’s north coast, killing at least 1 person and injuring 4
Trash carried by a North Korean balloon again falls on the presidential compound in Seoul
Britain’s leaders likely to face slavery reparations questions at a summit of former colonies
The Paris conference for Lebanon raises $1 billion in pledges for humanitarian and military support
Venice extends its day-tripper tax through next year to combat overtourism
More AP International

Image 2024 Elections

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, stands on stage with Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, after speaking during the Republican National Convention, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, stands on stage with Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, after speaking during the Republican National Convention, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Most Popular

Load more

Video

See all Video