Biden’s Las Vegas Appearance Does Little to Sway Nevadans
February 07, 2024.png)
Key Takeaways
- Biden aimed much of his Las Vegas speech at his inevitable general election challenger, former President Donald Trump.
- His critique of Trump was quickly overshadowed by yet another gaffe, saying he met with G20 leaders and he spoke to a French President who died in 1996.
- MIG data shows the President’s appearance did little to sway Nevada, both in approval for Biden and in head-to-head support vs Trump, rising only 1% the day of his speech.
Our Methodology
Demographics
All Voters
Sample Size
20,000
Geographical Breakdown
Nevada
Time Period
15 Days
MIG Reports leverages EyesOver technology, employing Advanced AI for precise analysis. This ensures unparalleled precision, setting a new standard. Find out more about the unique data pull for this article.
In a recent Las Vegas rally, President Biden shored up support from Nevada Democrats before winning the Nevada Primary this Tuesday. With few real Democrat challengers, Biden aimed much of his speech at his inevitable challenger, former President Donald Trump, in what Newsweek called Biden’s, “Angriest Speech Yet”. However, the subject matter of Biden’s fiery critique of Trump was quickly overshadowed by yet another gaffe from the 81 year old Commander-in-Chief. Biden told the audience of Nevadans that at the beginning of his Presidency, he met with G20 leaders and he spoke to a French President who died in 1996. The clip of yet another Biden senior moment was viewed 21 million times on X, with 11,000 reposts and 40,000 likes.
MIG’s report revealed the President’s appearance in the Silver state did little to sway Nevada, both in approval for Biden and in head to head support vs Trump. Much of the online discussions surrounding Biden revealed themes of either dismay at the state of the Biden’s America or serious nostalgia for the Trump Presidency.
By the Numbers
MIG’s data reveals that after Biden’s Sunday speech (2/4) in Las Vegas, his approval amongst online discussants remained stuck in the mid 40% range, rising only 1% the day of his speech.
- This matches the response to President Trump’s visit to Nevada in late January, when his approval also mariginally rose from 44% to 45% the day of his speech. But Trump’s approval rose to 48% that week when legal developments involving the President broke.
.png)
In head to head support analysis, MIG found that in Nevada over the last month:
- Trump averaged 50% support.
- Biden averages 41% support.
- RFK jr. averaged 9% support.
Biden also trails Trump on key issues in Nevada:
- On the economy, online discussions still show Trump beating Biden 47% to 41%.
- On Border Security, Trump trounces Biden 47% to 39%.
- On the Topic of Security Issues, Trump Holds 44% to Biden’s 38%.
.png)
The Trump Show
The lack of approval changes after both Biden and Trump’s speeches in Nevada reflects a broader trend seen in politics: campaigning directly to voters, known as retail politics is useless against Trump.
- Instead, Trump’s ability leverage charisma and media to connect with the electorate has controlled the political narrative-by framing establishment prosecutions as attacks against the silent majority.
- MIG’s analysis of Nevada online discussions centering on Trump demonstrated “Trump's narrative of being an outsider battling against a corrupt system resonates with his supporters. When he is prosecuted, it bolsters this narrative and makes him appear as a martyr fighting against a rigged system.”
- Biden’s cognitive decline leaves little ability to leverage media in the way his predecessor does, leaving Biden strategists to focus on Biden’s policies.
BideNOmics
Yet the Biden strategy of focusing on policy is already proving fruitless, as analysis by MIG in both Clark County and Nevada shows:
- In Nevada, amongst online users discussing Biden, “There is a perception among users that Biden is favoring non-citizens over U.S. citizens, particularly in reference to immigration and housing issues.”
- Negative sentiment on the economy is also strong in Clark County specifically, where MIG found:
- “concerns about the increasing rent prices and unaffordable housing, which some attribute to "Bidenomics".”
- More generally, “Frustration over increasing living costs under Biden's administration, with some individuals claiming their cost of living has significantly increased.”
- “concerns about the increasing rent prices and unaffordable housing, which some attribute to "Bidenomics".”
Make America Great Again, Again
Biden’s strategy of contrasting his Presidency with Trump to Nevadans falls flat beyond its own merits, with many highlighting preference for the Trump Presidency. MIG’s analysis of Nevada online discussions comparing Trump to Biden found:
- Foreign Policy: “Many comments compare Biden's Presidency with Trump's..people seem to believe that Trump had a more peaceful approach to foreign policy, refraining from starting new wars, and had a better relationship with countries like Russia and North Korea.”
- Immigration: “Criticism of Biden often centers on the perceived lack of control over the southern border and the potential implications for crime and the economy. These users view Biden's policies as too lenient, leading to an increase in illegal immigration.” While other “users believe that Trump was better at enforcing immigration laws and protecting the border, and criticize Biden for his stance on immigration.”
- Despite media framing of Trump holding back immigration reform, Nevadans who appear to not even be Republicans continue to slam Biden, “People are comparing Biden's policies to previous administrations, particularly those of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, criticizing Biden for not being as assertive on immigration issues.”
- Handling of the Economy: “Some users argue that Trump was better at managing the economy, pointing to the GDP growth under his administration.”
Looking Ahead
Despite Biden’s Las Vegas rally and a strong primary win, the incumbent President’s campaign looks increasingly helpless in the face of a dominant showing by Donald Trump in swing states like Nevada and national polling in general.
The best campaign gurus of the left can do little to twist reality of what life was like during the Trump Presidency compared to now in the eyes of voters, nor can they make the noticeably 81 year old President seem any younger.
MIG's analysis underscores a stagnant approval rating for Biden in the face of an enduring appeal on Trump era policies on the economy, border security, and national security. Even if the unemployment rate continues to remains strong and inflation plateaus, Biden's message will continue to be overshadowed by Trump’s dominance of the news cycle and gaffes that fuel discussions about his fitness for office. This reflects a broader trend in American politics where charismatic leadership and dominance of media presence increasingly overshadow traditional retail politics. It becomes more and more clear that there is little Biden can do to win the hearts and minds of voters in an era of personality and vibes driven politics that Trump has mastered.
_.png){kind=spacer}
_.png){kind=spacer}
_.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)