New Poll: Pence Would Do Better Against Biden If Covid Forced Trump Out of Race

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Vice President Mike Pence is the top choice to replace President Donald Trump atop the Republican ticket if Trump becomes incapacitated — and does better head-to-head against former Vice President Joe Biden  — in a new poll taken after Trump’s hospitalization with COVID-19.

A sobering new Yahoo! News/YouGov poll — taken in the days following Trump’ announcement that he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for Covid-19 and subsequent airlift to Walter Reed Medical Center — asked respondents to game out what would happen if either Trump or Biden were incapacitated prior to Election Day.

Among Republicans and Independents who lean Republican, Pence was the clear choice to replace Trump at 65 percent, with Texas Senator Ted Cruz taking the runner-up position by scoring a gentleman’s 7 percent.

According to the poll, Biden would still lead in that scenario with 46 percent to Pence’s 41 percent — but that margin is narrower than the 48%-40% lead Biden holds over Trump in the same poll.

Among Democrats and Independents who lean Democratic, the choice to replace Biden should he become incapacitated was running mate and California Senator Kamala Harris at 50 percent. After a hotly-contested primary, runner-up Bernie Sanders is now the second choice to replace Biden with 23 percent support, and no other candidate defeating “Not Sure.”

In a head-to-head matchup, Se. Harris beats Pence, but by a narrower margin of 46 percent to Pence’s 45. The pollster did not test Harris against Trump.

Respondents were also asked “If one or both of the presidential candidates becomes too sick from COVID-19 to campaign, should the November 3 election be delayed?”

A resounding 69 percent said no, the election should not be delayed under that circumstance, although Trump supporters were significantly less likely to say so — at 61 percent — than Biden supporters at 79 percent.