(NationRise.com) – Nearly 55,000 Democrat voters in Pennsylvania have switched their party affiliation as of December 18, 2023. Of those voters, 35,589 switched to the Republican party. 18,927 registered as independents. The numbers were lower among former Republicans in the state. 15,622 of those voters registered as Democrats.
The numbers show an overall 21,948 loss for Democrats. That’s bad news for President Joe Biden ahead of the 2024 elections. He won the state with around 80,000 votes in 2020. However, Trump largely carried independent votes in the state in 2016. A majority of voters also continue to believe the nation is moving in the wrong direction under the Biden administration.
Erik Telford of the Commonwealth Foundation said the numbers should set off “alarm bells” for Biden. Pennsylvania remains a key swing state in presidential elections.
A poll conducted in October showed Trump pulling ahead of Biden with a nine-point lead in Pennsylvania. Nearly 20% of respondents in the Emerson College poll said they were either undecided or voting for a third-party candidate.
Trump currently maintains a four-point lead nationally. The legal troubles against him haven’t deterred voters so far. That same poll also shows Trump gaining support among self-proclaimed independent voters.
The Biden administration has been rocked by inflation, high crime, foreign tensions, and business practice controversies since he took office. A growing number of voters, including Democrats, have also expressed concerns about Biden’s mental health. The president’s legacy has been marked by a series of gaffes and blunders that have made international headlines. Biden is already the oldest serving and will continue until he is 86 if he wins reelection.
Democrats also worry about minorities, especially those in Michigan and Georgia, shying away from Biden. Only 50% of black voters currently approve of the job that the Biden administration is doing. There are also concerns about a lower turnout of black voters in 2024. Democrats are ramping up their efforts in both states.
Copyright 2024, NationRise.com
