Former Obama advisor David Axelrod says 2024 poll is 'very dark' news for Joe Biden's reelection campaign

WASHINGTON — David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to former President Barack Obama, said a new poll showing former President Donald Trump leading President Joe Biden in a 2024 matchup was “very dark” news for Biden's reelection campaign.

The Wall Street Journal poll released earlier this month found that Trump would lead Biden by 4 percentage points, 47% to 43% in a 2020 rematch. Adding five possible third-party and independent candidates to the mix, Trump led Biden by six percentage points.

The survey was conducted from Nov. 29 to Dec. 4 with a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points.

“Job approval down, ratings generally down, most of the comparatives with Trump not good,” Axelrod said on the “Hacks on Tap” podcast with former Obama White House press secretary Robert Gibbs and political consultant Mike Murphy.

The former Obama adviser said he was further alarmed by responses from voters about whether they believe Biden or Trump’s policies were helpful for Americans.

The poll found that only 23% said Biden’s policies were helpful, while 53% said his policies hurt them. By contrast, 49% of voters thought Trump's policies were helpful, and 37% said his policies hurt them.

“What I worry about, you guys, from a Biden standpoint is these are the kinds of things you get when people are starting to rationalize their votes,” Axelrod said.

It's not the only recent poll that has delivered bad news for Biden's reelection campaign. A recent CNN poll also showed Trump leading Biden in Michigan and Georgia, two key states Biden won in 2020.

Gibbs on the podcast called on Biden's aides to "start playing campaign in a far more concerted way” and convince voters to align themselves with the president as 2024 approaches.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Former Obama advisor David Axelrod: Poll is 'dark' news for Joe Biden