Tipsheet

Voters Reveal What They Are Most Concerned About Heading Into the Debate

Swing state voters voiced their top concerns about the presidential candidates ahead of the first 2024 debate. 

Speaking with CNN's John King, voters in states, including Arizona, Georgia, and Michigan said they are most worried about President Joe Biden’s age and former President Donald Trump’s “mouth.” 

Thursday night will be the first time Biden and Trump face each other since 2020. 

Many voters that CNN spoke to were concerned with the economy and the rate of inflation, while others cited the Ukraine-Hamas war. 

“I liked what happened in our economy when Donald Trump was president," an Iowa voter said. "I liked that 'America First' mindset.”

“Everything here in Georgia is so expensive," a Georgia voter told CNN. "I can only afford so much with whatever job I find." 

Another battleground state voter cited his frustrations when at the grocery store. He said his grocery bill is more than $200 for him and his wife. 

However, other voters expressed their disappointment in having to choose between Biden and Trump as choices. 

“At this juncture, they both had four years, and I'm just eight years more frustrated than I was before," an Arizona voter said of the candidates. “I wish we had a candidate that had more of a middle-of-life and middle-of-the-road perspective.”

Others broke with Biden over his Israel-Hamas stance, saying that “Nobody wants to vote for Biden.” 

Heading into the debate, Biden continues to trail behind Trump in the polls. 

According to a Decision Desk HQ/ The Hill poll, Trump leads the 81-year-old president by 1.2 percent. Another poll, conducted by YouGov/CBS News, also found that Trump is ahead in the race, 50 to 49 percent. 

Polls also indicate that voters trust Trump more than Biden on issues such as immigration and the economy. 

Biden’s age also seems to have significant weight when it comes down to presidential candidate preference. 

A  New York Times/ Siena College poll found that 68 percent of respondents say Biden is too old to serve another term. Meanwhile, only 39 percent of voters said the same about Trump.