Part Two of the Gonzales Poll is out and focuses on Maryland residents’ views of the national electoral stage – in particular, the 2024 presidential election.
In a cross-section of voters polled, 54% approve of the job President Joe Biden is doing overall three years into his term, while 44% disapprove. Biden won the state of Maryland by a margin of two-to-one in 2020.
Among independents, 42% approve of Biden’s performance and 53% disapprove.
Meanwhile, 69% of Black voters approve of the job Biden is doing, while 30% disapprove. Comparatively, 46% of white voters approve of the president’s job, versus 51% who disapprove, according to this poll.
When compared to former president Donald Trump, Biden’s likely opponent, 38% of Maryland voters approve of Trump while 61% disapprove of the job he did when he was president, including 57% who “strongly” disapprove of Trump’s presidency. Broken down along party lines, 89% of Democrats disapprove of Trump, and 89% of Republicans approve. Among independents, it’s more evenly split, with 46% who approve and 49% who disapprove of the job Trump did when he was president.
When asked about Vice-President Kamala Harris, 46% approve of the job she is doing, while 47% disapprove, with 40% saying they “strongly” disapprove.
Of the respondents, 53% of voters in Maryland say things in the nation are “moving in the wrong direction,” as opposed to the 41% who think the nation is on the right track. If the election were held today, 53% of Maryland voters said they would back Biden while 32% would vote for Trump, with 15% undecided.
Among independents, 44% say they’ll vote for Biden and 30% say they’ll vote for Trump.
Entrance of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. onto the ballot complicates things. “In a three-way contest, Joe Biden captures 45% of the vote (down 8 points), former president Trump grabs 28% (down 4 points), RFK, Jr. takes 18% of the vote, with undecideds ending up at 9% (down 6 points),” reads the poll synopsis.
Kennedy is the brother of former Maryland lieutenant governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. In October, Townsend and three of her siblings criticized their brother’s indpendent bid for president.
When it comes to Biden’s handling of the economy, he receives a 48% approval rating and 51% of respondents disapprove.
On foreign policy, 48% approve of the job Biden is doing, while 50% disapprove — 38% “strongly.”
Immigration policy polled poorly for Biden, as only 35% approved of his handling of immigration at the southern border — 13 % “strongly” approve. Meanwhile, 64% disapprove of his immigration policies, including 41% who “strongly” disapprove.
